Nos Volentes Ductus Ignarum Facitis Ingratum Esse
by Consulting Criminal InTraining
Summary: When Moriarty takes something you love twists it turns and corrupts it and uses it against you. How do you respond?
1. Chapter 1

The desert sun was just rising. John Watson leaned back in his Adirondack chair and sipped on his beer. It was a long night in the Operating Theatre. A bunch of kids from a local school set up by the American Military and Missionaries had come under attack. No one was saying who was responsible but it had been bad. Several guards and quite a few kids had been injured. Six kids had died; there was nothing the doctors could do when they arrived at the base hospital.

John shut his eyes and tried to force the images out of his mind. A shadow moved across him and he opened his eyes to see a tall brunette standing over him. He had seen her in the hospital she was with MI-6 they had been running a job nearby when the attack happened, and had jumped into service to aid the doctors.

W. H. her vest said the other MI-6 agents just called her Ma'am, when they had reached the base she was in one of the ambulances sleeves rolled up and pinching off a severed femoral artery. She rode on the gurney into the theatre grabbing a clamp from a nurse as she went by.

She had stayed in the operating theatre the entire time taking patient after patient. Her style was crude by effective, what someone might call meatball surgery, but she was a welcomed pair of hands and from his walk through the recovery area John could tell all her patients were doing well.

"Captain Watson?" She asked.

"Ah yes" John said standing leaving his beer by the chair and saluting

"You don't have to salute me" She smiled

"Sorry Agent…." John asked trailing for a name

"Willa and well not really an agent per say" She smiled "You did good work in there, you're fast and efficient."

"Thank you, you were pretty good in there yourself." John smiled

"Thanks. There's some incidents heating up on between here at Camp Bastion and Uzbekistan and we're going to set up base here for a bit." Willa said looking down at his tiny can of allowed beer. British Army bases were allowed some alcohol on base but at a regulation of the superiors "I see you're off shift. If you'd like to come back to my barracks I can get you something better then ration quality beer" she smiled. "As a reward for the wonderful work you did with those children."

John smiled and followed the government agent.

Three hours, a bottle of top shelf scotch and a round of sex later John was curled up next to Willa on the rather large bed for a temporary tent bunk. Another perk of being MI-6 she had smiled.

"Now John" She said kissing his neck "I hope this doesn't change our working relationship"

"I wasn't aware we were to have one?" John smiled

"Well see after the operating theatre and before I found you at your barracks I did a little reading. You're quite the shot for an army doctor, most just squeak past the test so they can carry and work at a FOB, you, you have the makings of a sniper, but I think first you have to start off as a spotter"

"Excuse me?" John said sitting.

"I need a new spotter, you see my old spotter, he sort of snapped and went rouge, he was the one who opened fire on the school." Willa said sitting up and running a hand over John's chest.

"So this is your recruitment premises, sleep with me then offer me a job" John said looking around for his pants and trousers.

"No I was just going to give you a drink then recruit you, your conversation, adorable smile and those magical eyes of yours I can never tell if they're blue, green, or brown, it's all the way the light hits them" Willa smiled kissing him again "I just lost myself, all my training down the drain. You looked across the table at me telling me that story of you on leave in Hong Kong and I knew I needed to have you in every possible way." She smiled.

John looked down for a moment and then smiled

"This isn't some MI-6 trick is it?" He asked

"I should be appalled at you asking but alas I know why you ask. No it's not a trick. You will join myself, Flagg, Lynch and Smith and our team as we track Sebastian Moran, my former spotter, professional partner and nothing more. Had to break off my relationship when I entered the field work, Office and field operatives are not really allowed to have relationships with each other." Willa smiled "There was a guy, but he's married, only reason his wife was ok with him being around was that my partner at the time was a woman"

"A woman so you are" John started

"Bisexual yes just like you" She smiled, "I can just tell" she smiled answering the how did you know look he gave her.

"So are you in?" Willa smiled

"I'd have to ask my commander." John started.

"Of course, and he would be asked to please release you into my command."

"You command" John said raising an eyebrow "Are their not rules about commanding officers sleeping with subordinates"

"Well, I could just loose that page of the handbook" Willa said guiding him back down onto the bed and kissing his chest. "And technically you're on loan the rules don't count."

"Well then, I guess I'm on loan to MI-6" John smiled as he grabbed Willa's waist and flung her onto the bed and climbed on top of her.

She smiled bigger she loved the aggressiveness.

Later that night John sat around the table of the very well catered meal. Willa and Major James Sholto John's CO were at the head of the table having a lively discussion about some helicopter mission near Kabul. By the end of the meal John was officially placed on loan to the MI-6 and all his stuff was moved into Willa's barracks.

Within a day they got word of Moran's movements and they were on the move. John just marveled at how they just left with their gear and another team came in later to pack up their stuff and move their base for them.

He rather liked working with Willa, when in the field she was so focused, and when they were in position on a mission, she was so still and calm, John one time almost had to check for a pulse as it seemed like she was barely breathing. Sniper training John knew, complete calming of the body. To see it in person was amazing.

He took to the job of spotter well. Willa said she'd have to get him to start training as a sniper and then she could focus on commanding.

His training was short lived. Five months into their mission He and Willa were tangled up together in her hotel room in Balkh when the message came. Moran was in Mazar-i-Sharif and was planning another hit, this one on a women's clinic.

John and Willa quickly dressed and headed to their cars. The drive into Mazar-i-Sharif was quick no need to worry about speed limits, and they knew the roads were IED clear as they had people watching them.

They reached the building their scouts had deemed to be Moran's hideout.

The thing about using locals as scouts was that they were not always loyal. Their scout was right they had the proper building, but a greater payment from Moran and the scout neglected to tell them the actual number of men Moran had and has forgot to tell them the building was wired.

Six men lost their lives in the initial blast, mostly from the local military that they had recruited. Lynch went down in the second smaller explosion. They were able to push into the main area of the building and that's when the firefight started.

Bullets were flying everywhere, John pushed Willa down into cover behind a jeep before taking cover Himself behind a few crates marked ammo and arms. He smiled and cracked it open, pulled out two of the assault rifles, loaded them and slid one to Willa as she took out her satellite phone and called in back up. When she hung up John gabbed some extra ammo belts and pointed to where Moran was held up in a warehouse office.

They took turns covering each other as they advanced on Moran.

Willa and John turned as they heard a cry from Smith; he was on the floor the lower part of his leg blown off by a barrage of amour piercing rounds. Willa reloaded and started firing at the office.

She only stopped when she heard a scream from John. She turned to see him sink to his knees, blood seeped across the shoulder of his uniform, and Moran took advantage of Willa's distraction and took aim. Flagg barely shoved her out of the way. The armor piercing round tore through her hip shattering the bones before embedding itself in the wall behind.

John struggled to stay on his knees raising his gun, he was hit in his left shoulder so his dominant right arm was uninjured, but the pain that was radiating though his arm was enough to throw him off kilter. He raised his gun haphazardly aimed at Moran and fired. The man fell to the ground clutching his stomach as back up burst in.

John found himself falling backwards in almost a slow motion. His head came to rest on the ground almost softly. He stared up at the ceiling listening to the voices around him they seemed so far away. He turned his head to where he's last seen Willa. She was on the ground Flagg and another were working on her hip. Someone was over him he heard his name but when he tried to answer he found no words come out of his mouth.

The person over him assured him that he was going to be alright and that they were taking him to a hospital.

John passed out shortly after that. He woke up four days later in a private hospital in what he believed was England, out the windows looked like England. Willa was in a bed across from him, Smith was in one next to him and Flagg… when was Flagg hurt, was across from Smith by Willa.

Willa had some sort of external frame over her pelvis; John guessed that it was for an internal traction and stabilization for her injuries, it meant her pelvis sustained severe damage. He looked over at his own shoulder that was held in place tightly with all the bandages. He started running though all his knowledge trying to figure out what they might have done for a repair job. Lots of hardware he surmised, few pins, plates and screws.

He watched as an older man entered the room and went right to Willa, he sort of looked like her, father? No not old enough, brother perhaps. He leaned down and kissed her forehead. He was talking to a nurse that had entered, something about moving Willa to some estate where she would be under the care of a private doctor.

John tried to hear more but he fell asleep again.

The next time he woke he was in a new room, a private room, and the same man who came to see Willa in the other room was there.

"Hello Captain Watson, as you may see you have been moved to a new facility you are at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham as per normal Army protocol" He said "I would like to thank you for the services you rendered for my sister's team. You service and your sacrifice of your own bodily health is appreciated. Moran has been arrested tried and in a prison hospital. You have been medically discharged; when you are able to be released from here you will be sent to a rehabilitation facility in London. You have already been assigned a Recovery Officer she will visit you tomorrow and will be your liaison for the duration of your recovery and will ease you back into civilian life. We got to you early and your shoulder has very minor nerve damage that can be repaired with therapy so you will be able to return to being a doctor if you so choose."

"Where's Willa?" John asked

"She has been moved to my country home and is being attended to by some of England's best doctors" The man said standing

"How is she?" John asked

"She will recover, though I doubt I will send her back on middle or Far East missions. She has a very long road to recovery ahead of her." He said heading to the door.

"When can I see her?" John asked

"Oh you won't be seeing her again. It's not proper for her have relations with a solider that was under her command. She's lucky I kept all that out of my report. I know she was quite hurt by having to leave her lover behind, then having Sebastian turn on her. He was a close friend, not a lover but close enough for the emotional hit she took would have driven her into anyone's bed, and she lucked out with you. However if it was love which I believe it may be, no my sister will not be having any contact. No offense doctor but she may have feelings for you but as far as she will know you are dead. She's one of my best operatives but she lets her feelings get in the way, it distracts her. Flagg told me that if she hadn't stopped to check on you, Moran would have been taken down sooner, and she wouldn't have been injured, but her emotions got the better of her."

"You can't just go around telling her I'm dead what if I run into her on the street in London" John asked as he tried to sit up.

"Oh once she's healed I doubt she will wind up in London. I'll be sending her to our house in France. She likes France, it calms her." The man said from the door way. "Evening Doctor and as I said your Recovery Officer will be here in the morning."

With that the man left and John just laid back and stared at the ceiling. He tried to sleep but his arm hurt his leg hurt too, stiff and sore. Even when he moved back to London in the flat supplied by the veterans services and started his physio he could hardly walk on it, and required a cane, he also had a tremor in his left hand.

At the strong suggestion of the veteran's services he started seeing a therapist. Her name was Ella, it was the normal routine, PTSD, Tremor caused by fear of danger; he was damaged by war haunted by it, psychosomatic limp because his brains were all mottled from what he had seen over in Afghanistan. John didn't argue…much, but he just had a gut feeling that she was wrong. She then suggested blogging, John just laughed, what could he blog about, his life was nothing.

December 14th 2009 he made his first entry, simply titled Nothing, it consisted of a single word in the body of the blog, and that word was Nothing.

The next day it was a similar drab entry about how nothing ever happened to him. It got a comment, just a friend looking to meet up. So the whole thing was exactly what his title was Pointless.

The rest of the month and into January stayed the same. Ella would ask how it was going and he would say fine. In reality he felt as if he was just existing, not living but just rather taking up space.

He stopped blogging, and Ella pushed it. He would read her notes as he talked and just scoff.

Only thing interesting to him was the serial suicides that seemed to be happening, but he kept reading about them. Even wrote in his blog about them. Why not like anyone really cared. Suicides often went unnoticed and unreported.

The next morning John found his service revolver, he didn't know what he was thinking, what he was going to do with it he sat in his chair and stared at the revolver in his hand. He wasn't even supposed to have it. But he would never say where he had got it. . He put it away and went for a walk. He picked up the mornings paper and was going to sit in the park and read it. It's when he ran into an old friend Mike Stamford.

How that chance meeting would change his life John would have never believed it if you had told him beforehand.

It was through Mike that John found himself in a flat in 221B Baker Street with a man who called himself, Sherlock Holmes. Sherlock was a consulting detective and right off the bat John found himself immersed in the world of this fascinating man.

Their first night in the flat, Sherlock was in his chair, John was sitting across from him. Sherlock's eyes were closed his fingers tented under his chin

"Mrs. Hudson thinks we are a couple" Sherlock said breaking the silence, but not moving his hand or opening his eyes

"Well, Um" John didn't know how to respond

"Have you ever been with a man?" Sherlock asked

"I, I don't think that's a question for a first night in a flat share" John said but not bothering to move from the chair.

"Just curious as to who I will be sharing a flat with. You've been with women, have you been with a man?" Sherlock asked again

"Not that it should matter in a flat share but yes. I was with men before, and I have been with women" John replied, he was confused why was he not getting up and leaving, packing it in and moving out.

"I find those who are bisexual most curious" Sherlock replied still without opening his eyes. "To not only be attracted to men or women but men and women. Even attraction is odd. What makes one attracted to some but not to others? Take you for example. I find you aesthetically pleasing, your features are pleasant and your personality and demeanor are as well"

John really didn't know how to respond. Sherlock opened his eyes and put his hands on his knees and leaned forward.

"If I was to kiss you now, you know purely for research and curiosity purposes what would you do?" Sherlock asked.

"I, I um" John cleared his throat "I will return the kiss with pleasure"

"So you do find me attractive" Sherlock said leaning back. "I studied the way you looked at me when you first saw me, much like I looked over you. Of course my primary reason was to deduce what I could from you to see if you would be a suitable flat mate. Noticing your pleasing qualities was a byproduct. You however gave me more than a cursory glance. And when I turned around I saw you in the reflection looking at my backside"

"Well it is rather nice" John said without thinking.

Sherlock raised an eyebrow.

"I propose that we head to my bedroom. We engage in sexual intercourse, if it is not pleasant though I suspect it will be then I will help you find a suitable living space for the same cost as your share here"

"Deal" John said standing.

He really didn't know what was happening, sure he had made many irrational moves and had many one night stands both men and women in university and in the army, but Sherlock seemed different, the way he acted at St. Bart's when they first met and the way he acted around Mrs. Hudson. It was different as if it was a show.

John may not have the observational skills of Sherlock but he knew someone who had been hurt in a relationship before and Sherlock was one.

Sherlock made his way down the hall and John followed. Nothing ever happened to John. Nothing until that night really. It was as pleasurable as Sherlock had suspected, and in the morning there were no odd feelings between the two.

In fact they were having quite the pleasant conversation in their chairs when the Detective Inspector had arrived. Mrs. Hudson had let him up. Sherlock seemed to know the man well enough.

There was another suicide that fit the serials that had been going on, only difference was this one left a note.

Sherlock headed out to follow the DI. Mr. Hudson fluttered around the kitchen, for offering to make tea and bring food she did seem to not want to be treated like a housekeeper despite acting like one.

Sherlock returned and stood before John

"You're a doctor"

"Army doctor"

"Any good"

"Yes"

"Good come with me."

John said nothing but followed.

In the cab on the way to the crime scene he noted how Sherlock came to know so much just by looking. No he said it wasn't looking he said it was observing. Seeing beyond what others merely glance at.

And he did just that at the crime scene. It was fascinating. And the fact that DI Lestrade let him… much as it seemed to the chagrin of the other members of the MET.

Sherlock's demeanor was different again. That side of John saw in St. Bart's was back. The hardness, the closed off person was back.

After the first crime scene John found himself taken in a car to see the same man he met when injured.

"Ah Doctor Watson, you seem to have a knack for finding Holmes siblings. " He said as John entered.

"Pardon?" John asked.

"You've been to the flat have you not seen her pictures on the mantel. Sherlock particularly love the one of them riding the sheep when they were both quite small, and the one of them dressed as Pirates for a party." The man said motioning for John to sit, John remained standing.

"You know, I've got a phone." John said as he looked around to the warehouse he was brought to "I mean, very clever and all that, but er ... you could just phone me. On my phone."

"When one is avoiding the attention of Sherlock Holmes, one learns to be discreet, hence this place." The man said His voice, which has had a pleasant smile in it so far, became a little sterner. "The leg must be hurting you. Sit down."

"I don't wanna sit down." John said he looked the man was studying him

"You don't seem very afraid." The man remarked

"You don't seem very frightening." John replied, the man chuckled

"Ah, yes. The bravery of the soldier. Bravery is by far the kindest word for stupidity, don't you think?" The man said giving John a stern look "What is your connection to Sherlock Holmes?"

"I don't have one. I barely know him. I met him ..." John paused and though wow, it was only yesterday they had moved in together "... yesterday."

"Mmm, and since yesterday you've moved in with him and now you're solving crimes together. Might we expect a happy announcement by the end of the week?" The man gave an eerie smiled

"What's it to you?" John

"I'm just an interested party."

"Interested in Sherlock? Why? I know you are siblings but I'm guessing you're not friends."

"You've met him. How many 'friends' do you imagine he has? No but more so than his brother. I am the closest thing to a friend that Sherlock Holmes is capable of having."

"And what's that?" John asked

"An enemy." The man replied

"An enemy?"

"In his mind, certainly. If you were to ask him, he'd probably say his arch-enemy. He does love to be dramatic." The man said

John looked pointedly around the warehouse

"Well, thank God you're above all that." John said sarcastically.

The man frowned at him. Just then John's phone trilled a text alert. He dug into his jacket pocket, took out the phone and activated it, he looked at the message while ignoring the man in front of him. The message read:

Baker Street.

Come at once

if convenient.

SH

"I hope I'm not distracting you." The man asked

"Not distracting me at all." John said casually

"Do you plan to continue your association with Sherlock Holmes?" the man asked

"I could be wrong ... but I think that's none of your business." John replied

"It could be." The man said ominously

"It really couldn't." John retorted

The man took a notebook from his inside pocket, then opened it

"I'd be happy to pay you a meaningful sum of money on a regular basis to ease your way." He said

He closed the notebook and put it away again

"Why?" John asked

"Because you're not a wealthy man." The man replied

"In exchange for what?" John inquired

"Information. Nothing indiscreet. Nothing you'd feel ... uncomfortable with. Just tell me what he's up to." The man smiled

"Why?"

"I worry about him. Constantly." The man said

"That's nice of you." John said insincerely

"But I would prefer for various reasons that my concern go unmentioned. We have what you might call a ... difficult relationship." The man replied

John's phone sounded another text alert. Again he fished the phone out and looked at the message which read:

If inconvenient,

come anyway.

SH

"No."

"But I haven't mentioned a figure." The man said

"Don't bother." John said putting his phone away

The man laughed briefly

"You're very loyal, very quickly." HE sneered

"No, I'm not. I'm just not interested." John replied

The man looked at him closely for a moment, then took out his notebook and opened it again.

"Trust issues," it says here." He said gesturing to the notebook

John felt a little unnerved.

"What's that?" He asked

"Could it be that you've decided to trust Sherlock Holmes of all people?" The man said looking at his notebook

"Who says I trust him?" John asked

"You slept with him, upon the first night of meeting him you slept with him, and he wanted to sleep with you. I have my ways of knowing without Sherlock knowing. He was your first sexual encounter since my sister. Does that change him now for you, knowing you also slept with his baby sister?" The man smiled

"Are we done?" John asked

The man raised his head and looked into John's eyes.

"You tell me." He smiled

John looked at him for a long moment, then turned his back on him and started to walk away.

"I imagine people have already warned you to stay away from him, but I can see from your left hand that's not going to happen." The man smiled

John stopped dead. His shoulders tensed and dropped and he angrily shook his head a little. Furious he turns back around to face the man.

"My wot?" He asked savagely though gritted teeth

"Show me." The man said calmly nodding towards John's left hand as he spoke, John, not to be intimidated deliberately shifted his feet under him as if digging in. He raised his left hand, bending it at the elbow, and stood still. His message was clear: if the man wanted to look at his hand, he'll have to come to him. Unperturbed by this belligerence, the man strolled forward, hooked the handle of the umbrella over his arm as he reached for John's hand. John instantly pulled his hand back a little.

"Don't." He said tensely

The man lowered his head and raised his eyebrows at John, almost as if saying, 'Did I mention trust issues?!' John very reluctantly lowered his hand, holding it out flat with the palm down. The man took it in both of his own hands and looked at it closely

"Remarkable." The man said

"What is?" John said pulling his hand away

"Most people blunder round this city, and all they see are streets and shops and cars. When you walk with Sherlock Holmes, you see the battlefield." He said turning and walking away a bit He turned towards John again. "You've seen it already, haven't you?"

"What's wrong with my hand?" John asked

"You have an intermittent tremor in your left hand." He said

John nodded his head.

"Your therapist thinks it is post-traumatic stress disorder. She thinks you're haunted by memories of your military service." The man said

John almost flinched as the man accurately fired off the facts at him. His gaze is fixed ahead of him and a muscle in his cheek twitched repeatedly.

"Who the hell are you? How do you know that?" John said angry and distressed

"Fire her. She's got it the wrong way round. You're under stress right now and your hand is perfectly steady." The man said

John's eyes flickered downward before returning to stare ahead of himself, his face set and struggling to hold back his anger.

"You're not haunted by the war, Doctor Watson ... you miss it." He smirked He leaned closer to him. Reluctantly John's eyes rose up to meet his. "Welcome back." The Man whispered

He turned and started to walk away just as John's phone trilled another text alert.

"Time to choose a side, Doctor Watson." The man said walking away and casually twirling his umbrella as he left.

John stood fixed to the spot for a few seconds, then turned and glanced towards the departing man while, behind John, the car door opens and a woman who called herself Anthea.. that Anthea he wondered, got out and walked a few paces towards him, her attention was still riveted to the BlackBerry held in front of her in both hands

John had returned to Baker Street, he was there in time for the drugs bust arranged by Detective Inspector Lestrade to seek out evidence that was being withheld by Sherlock.

Later John shot a man to save Sherlock; he shot a man in the middle of London just to save this man he just met, already slept with and knew he wanted to spend an eternity with. He again got to meet Mycroft as he learned the man was called. He made remarks about Willa and about Sherlock. John and Sherlock headed back to Baker Street.

John asked Sherlock about the young girl in the pictures on the mantel. Sherlock just looked at the floor.

"That is my sister, Willa, she ran away, when she was 16. I knew her briefly again for a while four years ago" Sherlock said "But Mycroft mentioned her, said you knew her."

"In Afghanistan" John replied Sherlock sat in his chair, John sat on the arm of the chair and absentmindedly ran his fingers though Sherlock's hair. Sherlock leaned on him.

"You had a relationship with her didn't you?" Sherlock asked

"I did couple of months while in Afghanistan" John said "She was on the mission where I got shot."

"Is that where she died?" Sherlock asked

"No she was healing just injured her hip." John said as Sherlock leaned on him more.

"Two months before I met you, Mycroft stopped by, said Willa was dead, head shot… Oh…"Sherlock said trailing off

John just pulled him close. Lots of field operatives be they military or government have a hard time adjusting back to civilian life, a headshot was Mycroft's way of telling Sherlock that's their little sister committed suicide.

"Does this affect you and I?" Sherlock asked

"No" John said

Sherlock nodded. They shared a bed that night but just holding each other.

John kept a blog about all the cases he did with Sherlock. It was a mere 3 months later when he found himself strapped into a bomb vest with an ear piece in re-narrating the words of a criminal who had been orchestrating murders across the city.

The look in Sherlock's eyes when he thought John was Moriarty; it hurt John so much to see Sherlock like that. Sherlock almost shut down, John started to see the walls going up, and then Moriarty revealed himself.

Words were exchanged and Moriarty who called himself a consulting criminal left. Sherlock ripped the vest off of John and tossed it aside.

John leaned in and kissed Sherlock as hard as he could though the shakes of adrenaline. Sherlock pulled him into a tight hug and held him close retuning the kiss with a force that would knock John over if Sherlock hadn't been holding him.

The Doors behind them opened again.

"Sorry, boys! I'm soooooo changeable!" He said re-entering the pool. "It is a weakness with me but, to be fair to myself, it is my only weakness. Oh Oops am I interrupting something"

John and Sherlock pulled away from each other John sat on the ground the rush of adrenaline was leaving him and he was starting to shake.

"Now I have a way to make this interesting." Moriarty smiled. "My Pet, love can you come out here, Darling we're waiting"

The door opened and a very familiar woman stepped out. She was dressed in a dress set up to match Moriarty in his suit. Her long hair hung loosely around her face. She

was thinner then John remembered her, she looked almost sickly, as she walked she had a very prominent limp, it was probably why she carried the ornate wooden cane in her hand. When she looked up it was her eyes that got them. They looked so hollow and empty.

Moriarty leaned in and whispered to her.

He gave an evil smile.

"Have you ever trained anyone Sherlock? I mean like really trained them, broke them down until they were nothing only to build them up in your control." Moriarty asked as Willa went over and picked up the vest. "Don't be rude, Say hello to your brother Willa."

Willa looked up at Sherlock.

"Hello Sherlock" She said

"Now your former lover" Moriarty said, Willa turned to John

"Hello John" Willa said before taking a few components from the vest and leaving it on the ground again before heading back to Moriarty.

Sherlock aimed the gun at the vest.

"You shoot that you'll kill not only us but your sister as well" Moriarty smiled and pulled her close.

Lights from Moriarty's snipers danced on John and Sherlock.

The stare down began, the silence and tension was broken by Moriarty's phone as it started to ring, a tinny music version of the Bee Gees Staying Alive. They continued to look at each other before Moriarty just rolled his eyes.

"D'you mind if I get that?" He asked

"No, no, please. You've got the rest of your life." Sherlock said

Jim took his phone out with one hand and gripped Willa's wrist tight with the other.

He argued with someone on the phone. He put the phone on his shoulder and turned to face the men.

"Sorry. Wrong day to die." He said

"Oh. Did you get a better offer?" Sherlock said casually

Jim looked down at the phone, then turned and slowly started to walk away pulling Willa with him

"You'll be hearing from me, Sherlock." He said as he went through the door, "So if you have what you say you have, I will make you rich. If you don't, I'll make you into shoes." They heard him say as the door closed.

"She's alive" John said struggling to regain his feet.

"She's a prisoner" Sherlock said helping John up. "I suppose this changes everything between us"

"What no, I am with you now Sherlock nothing will change that" John said hugging him.

The next cases that followed were a sultry dominatrix that got the better of Sherlock. pity she was killed in her exile.

That one shook Sherlock. John could really see it he was more quiet at home. Not like his in the world persona but quiet. He'd seen him doing a few internet searches trying to find Moriarty and Willa.

A few weeks after that case which John nicknamed the Scandal in Belgravia they returned home to find Willa in 221B. She was shaking. She asked Sherlock and John to just forget her, to delete her and not try to help her. Moriarty had a control on her, he made her do things, he made her hurt people, she always tried to stop it but it was like she was locked in her mind and watching her body act.

Sherlock practically begged her to stay; they could help her, undo the conditioning.

"But he loves us, we're a happy little trio" Willa said with a smile "I cook with our Prince he cleans, we cuddle and watch movies, he loves the old classics our Prince loves romantic ones."

"Willa it's not love it's a control mechanism" Sherlock said standing and coming over to her.

As he neared her phone started to ring,

"But mama I'm in love with a criminal, and this type of love isn't rational, it's physical, Mama please don't cry, I will be alright, All reason aside I just can't deny, I love the guy"

Willa took out the phone. Sherlock heard Moriarty, it seemed like he was reciting a poem. Willa's eyes dulled. She looked at Sherlock, her expression went cold. She turned and abruptly left. Sherlock tried to follow but she took her cane and tripped him.

She turned "You never stopped me before why now?" With that she was gone as John helped Sherlock back to the sofa and got the ice while Sherlock called Mycroft.

Then was the bloody case in Baskerville where Sherlock tried to poisoned him with sugar, Then Moriarty made his move, he tried to discredit Sherlock. The press of course was having a field day tearing apart Sherlock. Kitty even published an article about Sherlock's fictitious sister. Painted Sherlock as a mad man who would do anything for a case. Said Moriarty was actor Richard Brooke and this Willa was Richard's partner. There was even a video clip released of Moriarty and Willa putting on a puppet show for kids in a hospital.

It all came to a head with Sherlock jumping, Sherlock jumped off of St. Bart's and that was it he was dead. During the funeral John saw a figure standing on the edge of the cemetery, it was Willa, She left when John saw her.

That meant she was alive, but how long would she last. With Moriarty gone she had no master. The type of control he had over her could fade, it was a trigger phrase. Sherlock had said it sounded like a poem. Would her mind recondition herself or would she just fade to nothing, or go mad.

Mycroft assured John that he would have his people try and track her down.

John only went back to Backer Street once after the funeral he packed his clothes and found another flat. He just couldn't be in that building alone.

He had debated also ending his life but he saw how Sherlock's suicide affected Mrs. Hudson and Lestrade and he couldn't do that to them.

Lestrade was actually a big help. Not that John talked much on the pub nights but he didn't let John be alone. He went into Baker Street to get the last of John's stuff too. Even found the birthday video Sherlock made.

John eventually started back at work. It was there he met Mary. She was a nurse, and she was a lovely woman, she too had seen loss, her husband had been killed in an accident a few years prior.

What started as friends going out for drinks to discuss mourning became dinners filled with laughter and with more intimate discussion.

Fourteen months after Sherlock died, Mary moved into John's new flat. John also started growing a moustache, he didn't really know why, figured it made him look distinguished.

Even as he became closer to Mary, he had that hold in his memory, Mary would never replace Sherlock. He loved Mary, but he still had that hole in his heart, in his very being that would never be filled.

After the first few months he stopped seeing Willa everywhere too. He knew all the times he had seen here it was just his imagination getting the best of him, but after a while he stopped thinking about her daily and she was dead just like Sherlock as far as John's mind was concerned.

Moriarty took away two of the best things he ever had in his life and John couldn't even beat the man for it, No Moriarty killed himself too. So John couldn't even get the satisfaction of killing him himself.

Mycroft was able to strategically release information to the press and Sherlock's good name was recovered and Moriarty was proven real. Not that that did any good. Sherlock was still dead.

After almost a year of living with Mary John decided that he was ready to take the next step. The one he had briefly though of taking with Sherlock.

He was going to ask Mary to become his wife. Part of this was because of the love John felt for Mary but deep down he knew it was also because he had already lost so much he was determined that he was not going to spend the rest of his life alone.

He made a reservation at The Landmark Hotel, The night was set, then everything went to hell.

The annoying French waiter was actually Sherlock, back from the dead never dead lied to John for two years Sherlock.

John hulled off and hit him, he was so angry, that got them kicked out of the restaurant so they relocated to a nearby café, John got mad as Sherlock seemed to play down John's emotions as not important. So he went at him again, this got them kicked out of the café, so they relocated to the nearby kabob shop where Mary helped Sherlock get napkins for Sherlock's now split lip.

Sherlock still didn't seem to grasp that John was livid at him, he acted like he did nothing wrong. John snapped again and head-butted Sherlock, while he didn't believe that he broke Sherlock's nose, he sure did make it bleed.

Mary grabbed a few more napkins as they were being escorted out of the shop and again tried to help Sherlock as he stood on the street. John was done with him, he was so mad, he just wanted to get a cab and leave.

On the way home Mary actually said that from what she saw and heard from Sherlock… she liked him.

That was not something John wanted to hear. He was so torn, he still loved Sherlock, but he was so mad at him, Sherlock said that he had done it to protect John, Lestrade, and Mrs. Hudson, but did he know how it felt to be abandoned and left behind, it felt like being betrayed and being lied to it hurt, it hurt him deeply.

The hole was filled but it wasn't mended.

John got captured drugged and put in a Bonfire he never heard Sherlock yell with such fear and panic. The first word out of John's mouth was Sherlock's name. He and Sherlock also deified a bomb in an abandoned subway car.

Sherlock and Mary got along very well, in fact Sherlock helped Mary plan the wedding, almost as much as John did, and actually John believed that Sherlock did more.

John married Mary and there was an attempt at murder at the wedding, of course life was never dull now, John's former commander James Sholto was the target, it was linked to a tragic mishap that had happened in Afghanistan under Major Sholto's watch a few years after John had been invalidated. End of the wedding, Sherlock accidently…. or was in in a sneaky way on purpose of telling John and Mary that they were going to be parents. This really complicated things. John had already decided that he was going to allow both Mary and Sherlock being in his life and being part of it, a child, a child made by him and Mary that was going to be a complication.

John sort of fell out of touch with Sherlock for a few days after the wedding; it was only when a neighbor wanted John to help her with her addict son did John find Sherlock in the drug den, he said it was for a case but the tests that Molly ran prove he was using again.

John blamed himself first and foremost. He had left Sherlock. That blame soon was elevated as they returned home, once Mycroft had poked the grizzly bear that was Sherlock and left, John met Janine, Mary's maid of honour, exiting Sherlock's (or as she called him Sherl's) bedroom, then went and joined him in the bath, she would hang off of him, and it well it really sickened John, but the blame crept back, John had only himself to blame for this, but no Sherlock was to blame too, if Sherlock hadn't faked his death John wouldn't have met Mary, so they were in this twisted mess together.

That night John learned that the relationship with Janine had all been a ruse to get closer to Janine's boss Charles Augustus Magnusson. The Napoleon of Blackmail as it had been put. Sherlock confronted Magnusson and was shot for the effort, not by Magnusson but rather by Mary, yes, John's Mary, for reason they still don't fully know, all they got was a memory stick with the initials A.G.R.A on it.

During Sherlock's recovery, when he wasn't leaving the hospital without notice to reveal Mary's secret or to meet with Magnusson, Sherlock would stare at the ceiling, John came to visit as did Lestrade, Sherlock told them how he had seen Willa a few time on his travels. She was with someone, someone Sherlock had not seen in a long time. Victor Trevor

When Sherlock said the name he closed his eyes tight tears could be seen forming.

John looked at Lestrade.

"Victor Trevor is an old acquaintance of Sherlock's" Lestrade said "He is the one who supplied Sherlock with whatever substance he wished to abuse"

"He was more than an acquaintance" Sherlock spoke eyes still shut tight the tears now slowly rolling down his cheeks. "He was my first"

"Your first what?" John asked

"Everything; he was my first attraction, my first date, my first boyfriend, my first lover, my first addiction." Sherlock paused and looked away. "It's how I first met Lestrade; he was the police constable that responded to the neighbors call when Trevor got carried away one night"

"Carried away!" Lestrade interjected "He broke your arm so badly it needed two surgeries, to get it fixed; he broke your jaw so you couldn't talk"

Sherlock looked down

"I was addicted, I had been an outsider all my life and this was a person who paid attention to me, who I thought loved me, I know the difference now. When I met John I felt attraction, but not just to his physical attributes or his mind, but to his essence his being, I knew I needed to be with him, but now I lost him, that is alright, he and Mary have a child to parent."

John leaned forward and kissed Sherlock; Lestrade raised an eyebrow as Sherlock just weakly returned the kiss.

"Mary is the mother of my Child, nothing more, especially after this, but you are forever the one who I love" John said Sherlock gave a small smile then drifted off to sleep as his new round of pain meds took hold.

Lestrade said nothing, he knew it was Mary who had shot Sherlock and he partially knew the reason why they were protecting her (beyond the fact she was pregnant with John's child). It was a very odd this life he was living now, one that had started when he met Sherlock all those years ago, the life that caused him to go grey, well he guessed grey at 50 wasn't bad, some of the ladies at the MET had called him a silver fox, he didn't really know what that meant but it didn't seem too bad.

When Sherlock was out of the hospital he wanted John and Mary to try and make things work, for not only the sake of the child but Sherlock understood that Mary was doing something she didn't want to, so the three, well four if you counted the child were off to Sherlock's parents for Christmas, Even Billy Wiggins the homeless person Sherlock had taken under his wing and Mycroft were there.

John went and sat with Mary in the sitting room. He asked for a divorce, he loved Sherlock, he still loved Mary but the trust was gone, she took it well, there were tears but they did agree that they would still raise the child together, co-parent, with Sherlock also being named as the child's father.

John and Sherlock would still help Mary with her case as Sherlock called it, they would still help her move further from her past and from the one who had control over her.

Then Mary fell asleep, and so did Mummy and Daddy Holmes, and Mycroft. Billy drugged everyone but Sherlock and John, so John and Sherlock could swipe Mycroft's laptop and go to Magnusson.

The Magnusson vault was a ruse a facade only in his mind much like Sherlock's mid palace.

John shot Magnusson, you'd think the people he had been blackmailing would be grateful but no, while Sherlock was not going to jail he was being exiled. You think the government would be grateful the man had so much of them under blackmail. You think they would be giving him a medal for Christ sake not sending him off into some suicide mission.

Then the TV's around England all switched to the same imagery as a familiar face in the picture displayed while the voice kept repeating.

"Miss me?"

Mycroft secured Sherlock a pardon, when they boarded the plane to see him, Sherlock looked a mess, he was high, his list was long, and John saw actual worry in Mycroft's eyes. Sherlock assured them that he was well enough to start on the case. That he knew what the next move may be.

"Could Willa be in on this?" John asked as they headed back to Baker Street.

"Probably, Victor Trevor is probably at the forefront of it all and using Willa like a pawn much like Moriarty did." Sherlock said "We don't know what Moriarty said to her before his actions on the roof. And I did almost catch up with her and Victor in Istanbul"

"When I saw her at the Cemetery when visiting your headstone, still feels weird to say that, she looked ill; I don't think he left her in charge of anything So it must be Trevor at the helm" John said.

"She left the country with Moriarty" Mycroft replied "the man who died on the roof top was actor Richard Brooks; he was probably under the same control as Willa." Mycroft said he felt the six eyes on him. "I never said anything because I didn't know until you were well into this ordeal with Magnusson, I actually found out for sure while you were still in the hospital recovering from your bullet wound. Victor Trevor was a name that came up as well but I didn't want to mention him to you at the time. I guess now I should have, I didn't realize he was with Willa"

"Is she back in London?" Sherlock asked with an annoyed glare at Mycroft.

"No" Mycroft said

Mary typed away at her phone.

"She was last in March, Cambridgeshire" Mary announced "I'd say that was back in England at least"

"March, Cambridgeshire" Sherlock frowned while thinking.

"Whitemoor!" Sherlock and Mycroft said together.

"Whitemoor?" John asked confused "What's Whitemoor"

"Her Majesty's Prison Whitemoor - March, Cambridgeshire" Sherlock said "Over 500 of England's most dangerous criminal are kept there including Military Prisoners that are too dangerous for the Military Prison in Colchester"

"Wait, they have Military prisoners" John said going a bit pale "Colonel Sebastian Moran is he a prisoner there?"

Mycroft looked out the window then down at the floor of the vehicle.

"Yes he is" Mycroft said removing his phone to call the prison to be on alert. As he dialed the phone vibrated he pressed answer "Hello, yes, yes, ok thank you"

"He escaped didn't he?" John asked leaning on the door of the car.

"There was a massive fire and raid at the prison, Moran was broken free," Mycroft said

"They chartered a plane to Istanbul" Mary said looking at her phone. Her other hand rubbed her stomach.

"Going to gather recruits" Sherlock said "Most likely sacrificed what men they had in the prison break."

"She's back with Moran, alright, what now?" John said as Mary grabbed his hand "Mary?"

"I know we said about going back to Baker Street but a hospital might be the best option" She said squeezing John's hand tight and breathing though a contraction.

"Oh yes of course, Mycroft please direct our driver to the nearest hospital" John said holding Mary.

They arrived at the hospital and Mary was taken in to a delivery room.

"You should get yourself looked over" Mycroft said to Sherlock who had found a seat in the waiting room.

"I'm fine" Sherlock said watching the doors that led to the delivery rooms.

"You practically overdosed!" Mycroft exclaimed as he came and knelt in front of Sherlock.

"But I didn't I'm here and I am fine. Oh I should call Lestrade let him know that the baby is on the way." Sherlock smiled as he took out his phone. "After all the godparents should be here. I should call Mrs. Hudson, she's the godmother, and first Lestrade can pick her up on the way.

Mycroft sighed and went to see if he could at least find a nurse to check Sherlock over.

Sherlock sat bolt upright as he heard the yell from the delivery rooms. There had been others but that was Mary it was very distinctive. Sherlock smiled and leaned in closer.

Three hours later, Sherlock, who had been given the clear by the nurse, Lestrade, Mrs. Hudson and Mycroft looked up and John exited the carrying a tiny bundle.

"She's here" He smiled, "Alice Wilhelmina Martha Watson-Holmes"

Sherlock stood and looked at the tiny girl "She has your nose, and lips, I hope she has your eyes"

John smiled and looked up and Sherlock, his face was right next to his, John had to fight the urge to kiss him.

"She's absolutely adorable" Greg said with a smile as he came over with Mrs. Hudson

"Thank you." John was just beaming. Mycroft stood and walked over as Mrs. Hudson fawned over Alice. She was so honored to have her name used as one of Alice's names.

"How is Mary?" Mycroft asked

"Tired, they are getting her settled in a room" John said starring at Alice with awe

Sherlock smiled as the nurse came, they all followed her to Mary's room. Mary was sleeping. Sherlock was the first of the men to hold the baby. Alice opened her eyes and seemed to stare at him. Greg swore he saw an impossible for a just born baby smile. Mycroft held her too abet for a short time, and then Greg took the little bundle in his arms.

"Oh wow" He said "thought I wouldn't remember how to do this."

"I didn't know you had children" Sherlock said looking at Greg with a sort of awe.

"I don't, well, I was 16 and her parents didn't approve. After she was born we only knew her for a few short hours before her parents came and declared that we had to sign up for the child to be adopted my mother was upset but agreed it was best. Sealed adoption never saw her again, was told even her name was changed from what we picked. My girlfriend left too. Her parents wanted me far away from her. I mean I held my cousin's babies when they were born but they're all teenagers now" Greg gave a small smile as he rubbed under Alice's chin she opened her eyes again and they seemed to light up.

"Well she certainly seems to like you lot" John smiled as Greg handed Alice back

"I should get back to work" He said "Give Mary my love when she wakes."

"I will thank you Greg" John smiled as the Detective Inspector left.

"You need some sleep John, I shall hold Alice and you nap" Sherlock smiled

"She can go in her bassinet Sherlock" John smiled

"No I want to hold her" Sherlock smiled taking Alice from John and settling back in one of the overstuffed chairs in the maternity room.

Mycroft and Mrs. Hudson said their goodbyes and headed out Mycroft would be dropping Mrs. Hudson off on the way. John curled up in the chair and slept.

Two hours later Sherlock and John were talking when Mary woke up and said she was hungry. John went off to find food. Sherlock was talking to Mary when his mobile rang.

"Hey freak" Donovan said on the line "Can you tell my boss he's way over due for being back, I know babies are cute but we have work to do"

"I'm afraid DI Lestrade left just over two hours ago" Sherlock replied as he stood and headed out into the hall heading down to the street. Greg's car was still in the parking spot. Now with a parking ticket as he was over the two-hour limit.

Sherlock headed ran back dialing Mycroft on his way back as he did he saw John.

John headed back up the street. He decided to treat Mary and had gone to the deli next to the hospital.

He was smiling as he rounded the corner to the side door of the Hospital; He looked up as he saw a shadow in his path.

As he looked up he saw a very familiar but worn face.

"Hello John" Willa said with nearly no emotion.

"Willa! You're alive" John smiled

"I am. And he needs you to come," Willa said

"What?" John asked as a van pulled up John felt himself being shoved in.

Down the street Sherlock took off into a run, Willa was in the passenger seat of the van, she gave a wave as they passed, Sherlock could see Mary laughing and smiling beside her as Moran drove.

Sherlock ran back inside the hospital and to the room, the nurse was just on the phone trying to reach security as a few of Mycroft's men arrive.

"Mr. Holmes?"

"They took John; they took Detective Inspector Lestrade as well. Mary went willingly, she left Alice." Sherlock said taking the crying child in his arms he looked at the nurse

"She's hungry could you prepare a bottle for me."

"Yes sir" the nurse said as she left.

Sherlock cradled Alice in his arms and sat in the overstuffed chair again, the nurse brought him a bottle and he began to feed Alice.

"They have my sister, she looks worse than she did the last time I saw her in Istanbul" Sherlock said as he fed Alice.

"Any idea where they would be heading" the agent asked

"The van was nondescript but the CCTV cameras should be able to see the license clearly. Have my brother call our parents, once Alice has eaten we will get her to the nursery and have Mrs. Hudson come sit with her until my mum arrives. Then I can help out there with the search."

The men nodded and left.

John groaned as they strapped him to the upright apparatus. Greg was beside him on what looked like the same thing, a makeshift upright table like they used in American prisons for lethal injections. These ones were homemade though, and instead of Velcro straps for their arms legs it was duct tape. They were naked save for their undergarments. John had never felt so exposed.

In front of them were two tables each with a cloth over them. Moran and Moriarty led Willa in. Moriarty smiled

"Now Willa I brought you some gifts. I need them worked over well and I need them to be broken and bleeding." Moriarty said arm wrapped around her.

She said nothing but looked on the verge of tears.

"I don't want to Jimmy, maybe Moran and Mary can do it this time? Or we can wait until Victor is back" she said barely able to make eye contact with Greg or John.

"No, no, no there's no fun or poetry to them doing it." Moriarty smiled and kissed her cheek "Besides you do it so well. With your MI-6 training and what I taught you, you're among the best"

Willa shivered and closed her eyes tears streaming down her cheeks. Moriarty leaned in close as Moran injected her with something and recited

"Woke one night, with a pain,

Hair was soaked, pillow stain.

There was nothing I could hear,

A human shadow did appear.

Slowly crept out of bed,

Stunned I stood, as I bled.

Could not hear the dripping sound,

As my blood, soaked the ground.

Could not move, I was engrossed,

As I stared at the ghost.

He was missing his right ear,

The ghost was me, it was clear."

With the last word, Willa's body relaxed, the tears were gone and her eyes were hard.

"Are you with me my pet?" Moriarty asked

"Yes my master" Willa replied but her voice felt and sounded so far away.

Moran lifted the cover on the first table, knives, a whip, and other sharp objects.

"Stage A my pet" Moriarty said and he and Moran left.

Willa slowly walked over to the other two and stood between them.

"Willa you don't have to do this." Greg said his reply was a smack across the face, Willa moved to standing in front of John. She used her finger to trace over the scar on his left shoulder.

"Willa, we can help you" John calmly said.

"No talking just screams" She said as she put her hands on his arm and shoulder, Willa made a quick move and it took all that was in John not to scream as she dislocated his bad shoulder.

Willa giggled like a school girl.

"I broke John, Sherlock will be so mad, I broke his boyfriend" Willa sort of said in a sing song voice as she moved over the Greg.

She traced her finger down the scar on his knee, the reminder of an injury that ended his hopes of ever having a professional football career. Almost as quickly as she acted with John she dislocated Greg's knee with a sickening snap. Greg bit back a cry causing him to bite his lip and draw blood.

"That's not nice" Willa said standing "I am the one who is supposed to make you bleed"

She took a long thin knife off the table, and stood nose to nose with Greg.

"Other Willa thinks you're handsome, I can fix that" She said slicing into Greg's check from the base of his ear to very near the corner of his mouth, the gash was not though his cheek but it was enough to send blood running down him.

She giggled again and went to work. Alternating between John and Greg, making tiny cuts, almost like paper cut, not enough to really bleed but enough to sting, she covered they're stomach and legs.

After an hour and a half she became a little weaker, the conditioning was wearing off, and her eyes were softening.

"Willa?" John tentatively asked.

"I'm sorry." She choked out as tears formed "Oh god what did I do. I'm sorry I'm sorry." She said sitting on the ground "Oh god Greg, I"

"It's not your fault" Greg said trying to give her a smile despite the pain and pull in his cheek.

Willa started to curl up tight on the floor when the door opened and Moran entered with a tray.

"Oh Willa, I'm sorry I should have come sooner, you really went to town and you expended yourself quicker than we thought." Moran said setting the tray down, He got Willa sitting on a nearby chair.

He fed her what looked like pasta, gave her plenty of water, and then injected her again. Then leaned and recited.

Her strong enchantments failing,

Her towers of fear in wreck,

Her limbecks dried of poisons

And the knife at her neck,

The Queen of air and darkness

Begins to shrill and cry,

"O young man, O my slayer,

To-morrow you shall die."

O Queen of air and darkness,

I think 'tis truth you say,

And I shall die tomorrow;

But you will die to-day.

Willa's eyes went hard again as she stood. Moran smiled and moved the cloth off the second table.

"Now Pet, Your master had said it's time for Stage B" Moran said running his hands over the blunt objects on the table. There was a pry bar, a truncheon that seemed an awful like Greg's, a mini cricket bat, and a mini mallet that was a cross between a coquette mallet and a sledge hammer. Willa picked it up with a creepy smiled.

"A gift from Mary" Moran said as he nuzzled in a kissed Willa's neck. He tuned to face the men as Willa made her way over to John.

She carefully knelt and ran her free hand down John's legs. She raised the mallet and brought it crashing down on John's left foot then his right, John cried out as he felt the bones break.

"I like this one" Willa sneered

"Well you'll have to write Mary a thank you note" John managed to say.

"Nice one John" Moran laughed "Tortured and still with a sense of humor. I'll leave you to it Willa. Victor will be back tonight, he has some lovely plans for you"

Moran turned and left.

"What are they giving you?" Greg asked as Willa circled him.

"It's it Devil or Dragons Breath?" John asked "It would make sense that's why you only vaguely remember what you did while in your trance"

"It's vitamins to keep me strong" Willa said as she stood in front of Greg, She brought her mallet down smashing his hand.

Greg swore under his breath then looked up at Willa.

"Willa" He started but was cut off by a blow to the head from her hand that didn't knock him out but rather dazed him.

Willa walked to the table and ran her hand over the other items, she picked up the truncheon. She swayed a little humming before slamming it into John's exposed side. She stopped and poked him before hitting him again.

John just kept talking, trying to distract her as she moved around, trying to make get the drugs and conditioning to wear off.

Willa went and laid down the truncheon and picked up a knife again.

"Willa please stop." Greg quietly said.

Willa didn't turn around instead she ran the knife over the spot where she had just hit John.

"Willa, this is not you, this is not the sweet young agent I saw sitting beside her brother as he recovered from his third overdose. The Willa I know is kind and caring. I remember when you were moving into your London flat because you wanted to keep an eye on Sherlock. You had just rekindled your relationship with him. You sat by his bedside for two weeks and even rode in the car with him on the way to Surrey and the treatment facility. I drove you out every weekend for the family visits." Greg kept talking even as Willa ran the knife down his body, from top of his shoulder all the way to his toes. She made little flourishes near his ankle and then his neck.

She stood and started to pace.

"Remember he did follow you, but you made it over the fence and he didn't, he twisted his leg and cut his foot. He ran another mile on that injured leg" Greg said "he blamed Mycroft for setting you off, for angering you like that. It was none of Mycroft's business who you liked." Greg continued.

Willa sat on the ground between the two men and started to rock.

"You forgave him, he forgave you, and you used your own experience with drugs to help him though his own addiction." Greg continued "I know it was hard for you to leave him again when your work called you away to Afghanistan. He missed you so much, I think that's why he threw himself fully into being a consulting detective for me"

Willa used the knife to trace a pattern on her arm opening a cut that swerved down her forearm elbow to wrist, though by her wrist it seemed not as deep.

"I learned a lot from you in Afghanistan" John spoke up. Willa half turned her head to look at him "You taught me how to make the best field pancakes I ever had, you taught me sign language"

Willa stood and faced John. She kissed him then pulled back.

"No that's not right, I don't belong to you anymore, I belong to Jim, and Victor" She said as she began to pace.

"You don't belong to anyone Willa" Greg said "You are a person not an object."

Willa paced and babbled something about I wasn't right before, about having no purpose, about being useless, no job with a limp, no field work, and no purpose.

"You don't need to be an MI-6 agent to have purpose." John said. "You told me you wanted to run a music school, I loved listening to you play the violin and I would love to hear you play the cello, that's your primary instrument right?"

Willa gave a nod. John let himself smile a little.

"But I can't, I have to stay with Jimmy and Victor, If I leave them I die" Willa said still pacing, she reached up and smacked her head hard with her hand "No, no, no that's just what he says, I lasted a year before Mary and Victor came, but I was sick, I couldn't eat"

John just listened, long term control with drugs and other mid control techniques. Jim and Victor seemed very abusive too, and Mary, it wasn't girls weekends to the country she was traveling to France to help Jim and Victor condition Willa.

"We can help" John said the blood loss was getting to him as was the pain he was starting to feel week.

"I will help you." Greg said "It can be like it was, I still owe you that trip to Blackpool, I was going to try and win you a stuffed animal at one of those rigged skill games and you owe me the scotch tour in Scotland"

John didn't mean to but he smiled. One night when they were near Kabul Willa had gotten a little tipsy on the homebrew a local unit had made, she told John that even though she had an intimate relationship with Anthea, she had this wonderful relationship with a detective from the local constabulary. Anthea like him too and said that if Willa even managed to snag him Anthea wouldn't mind.

Greg was that Detective She had mentioned.

Willa was crying and apologizing again, the control had worn off. She walked over and kissed Greg, harder then she had kissed John.

The door opened and in walked Moriarty with Victor.

"Oh Willa my pet, how could you?" He said as Victor pulled Willa away from Greg. Moriarty produced a gun from behind his back and shot Willa in the hip. "And that is your punishment my pet"

Victor, pulled her close and gave her a long hard kiss before he dropped her to the ground. As he did voices echoed in the hall Moriarty and Victor looked up then left, there was arguing then gunshots, Victor (who had a bloody nose) and Moriarty ran though the room with Moran, Moran stopped long enough to add a bullet in Willa's chest. They were followed by Mary she stopped for a moment in front of John. She gave an eerie smiled then slammed her fist down on his already dislocated shoulder before she and Moran fled down the hall after Moriarty and Victor.

Sherlock and Mycroft and some of Mycroft's men burst through the main door. Sherlock went instantly to John and started working on loosening the tape.

"My shoulder" John said though gritted teeth. Sherlock just nodded.

"His feet too" Willa said as she tried to sit.

"You stay down Willa, the paramedics will help you too" Mycroft said kneeling by her, Behind him paramedics worked on freeing Greg from his bonds.

"Just end me now" Willa said through tears "I don't want to hurt anyone else"

"You won't" Mycroft said his tone softer and more gentle then any of the men had ever heard it before "I will get you help, all the help you need, I can find specialists, we can undo all that he has done." Mycroft leaned down and kissed her forehead. The paramedics had everyone loaded and headed for the hospital.

John woke, his head was fuzzy and he hurt, all over, from the dull ache of his head to the pain in his feet, arm and side. He turned his head to face the weight on the bed; beside him Sherlock was curled up head on his good shoulder hand resting just below his injured ribs. He blinked and looked past Sherlock to see Greg in the bed next to his. Greg's hand was casted, he was covered in bandages covering his cuts, his face was bandaged as was the long cut down his body, and his knee was encased in an immobilizer and propped up on pillows. John looked down his own feet were incased in casts and also slightly elevated with his knees bent and the pillows under them. Mummy Holmes was sitting between the beds.

"Morning love" Mummy Holmes said kissing his forehead gently.

"Thank you" John smiled then panicked "Where's Alice!"

"She is in the Hospital Nursery; Anthea is sitting with her now, sent Martha home to rest"

"I want to see her later" John said

"Of course" Mummy answered "For now here are some pictures" she showed John the pictures and he smiled.

"Is Sherlock alright?" he asked noticing the cast on Sherlock's hand

"Mycroft said he broke it on the face of someone named Victor" Mummy Holmes said. "Said he had hurt him in the past and was now hurting Willa"

"Where is Willa?" John asked with worry last he'd seen there had been a bullet entering her upper chest.

"She's in an isolated private room" Mummy Holmes answered "Mycroft and her Father are with her. She had surgery to repair her collar bone and hip, she will need another one on her hip"

"Has she awoken? How is she mentally?" John asked

"She was awake last night, mostly cried, she doesn't think she deserves help, she says she should be punished" Mummy said as Sherlock stirred.

"She's asking for jail?" John asked

"She's asking for death" Sherlock said in almost a low whisper.

"Oh" John replied Sherlock gave a nod almost like a scared child.

"Then we talk to her help her" a voice said from behind them. Greg was awake and trying to sit. Mummy Holmes hurried over to him.

"You rest" She said putting her hand on his chest. "You have a lot of stitches and it would do you no good pulling any of them."

Greg just nodded and eased himself back.

"You may want to see her but she may not want to see you" Mummy said sitting on the edge of Greg's bed "Her mind is very scrambled right now and she thinks that you all hate her."

Mummy paused as she remembered the pain in Mycroft's voice when he told her that overnight Willa had begged him to kill her, that she hurt the ones she loved so much that she felt she was better off dead. Mycroft had broken down in tears. That's when Mummy Holmes sent Daddy up to sit with them. There was also a guard there as Willa was on suicide watch. Not that she could do much. Her left arm was in an immobilizer after the bullet Moran fired shattered her collar bone before tearing though her chest just barely missing her lung and heart, her right was bandaged from the cut she had made. And her hip was encased in another external frame. All the hardware she's gotten in years ago after Afghanistan had to be redone.

Sherlock had been very grateful that John was not also in need of such repair, though he did need surgery to fix the dislocated joint, the hardware was all intact.

"We tried to help her" Greg said "John and I we kept talking to her, we really got through to her too, I think"

"You did Greg" Mummy Holmes said kissing his forehead. He just nodded and yawned "You sleep, you need rest"

He gave a tiny nod and slept. John dozed as Sherlock ran his fingers though his hair.

Willa lay in the bed starring at the ceiling, had it been a week or two weeks since she'd been brought to the new facility from the private operating recovery room.

She was now in a private room in the infirmary wing at The Maudsley Hospital, it was the same one she had been to years ago for her addictions treatment. They were the best, and Mycroft said she needed and deserved the best.

She slept most of the time so it was hard to tell the passage of time. Someone was always with her though. Not just the medical staff. Daddy and Mycroft had been with her for a while, Anthea came once too, Mummy came, then Sherlock. That was last night Sherlock had been there…. Or was that the day before, he said when he returned he would have a special visitor.

She'd already had several visits from doctors as well, they talked directly to her sometimes then other times they would talk to whoever was with her. Mostly about treatment, she was going to be undergoing a lot of tests, they thought most of the control had been from the drugs, but she would still be undergoing some hypnotherapy and other relaxation therapy to make sure there was nothing else controlling her, and that the poems that were used (they had found a book that had been dropped by a fleeing Moriarty and it had all the poems underlined and notated what each were for) The doctors said this could be all undone.

She barely ate it hurt too much to sit to eat. Usually Mycroft helped her eat, Anthea helped her eat the grilled chicken she had made her... it was one of Willa's favorites, but she could only eat about a quarter before needing to lay down again.

Willa heard her room door open.

"Morning Willa" Sherlock said. Willa heard the turning wheels, just a small squeak. She turned her head and saw Sherlock was pushing a wheelchair, John was riding in it, both his feet were still in casts and his arm was still held tight against him in the immobilizer but most of the bruises had faded and the cuts were healing. He smiled as he saw Willa.

"Hello Willa"

"Hi John" She said her eyes watered as Sherlock parked the wheelchair by the bed.

John took her hand in his good hand

"No tears Willa, please." He kissed her hand "I am here to say I forgive you. Although that is odd to say and I don't even blame you for this to begin with. Your hand may have held the tools but they were not controlled by you, they were controlled by Victor, Moriarty, Moran, and" John paused and swallowed "and Mary" his voice cracked a little.

"I tried to warn you and Sherlock when I knew who it was you who Mary would talk about, but I couldn't get away." Willa was crying "I'm sorry you said no tears, I'm so sorry"

Sherlock moved his hand to wipe her tears and she flinched back.

"I'm sorry" Sherlock quietly said before gently wiping the tears from her eyes.

She just looked away.

Sherlock bushed some hair off her face then sat back in his chair.

"Willa, Do you accept my forgiveness?" John asked

"Yes" She replied quietly "Although you didn't need to give it I don't deserve it:

"Of course you do silly" Joh said kissing her hand again. "Now we need to work on your recovery, not only everything going on in your head but I need a best man for my wedding"

"Your wedding?" Willa asked confused.

"Yes I proposed to Sherlock two days ago. It's something I should have done two years ago, but now we are back together, and Mycroft is rushing though papers for Sherlock to adopt Alice and so it's time Sherlock and I married" John smiled, he could see the faintest hint of a smile on her lips "If we have your blessing that is?"

"Of course" Willa replied "I still love you in this own unique way John, but you and Sherlock are meant to be together." Willa said turning and facing Sherlock

"Excellent" John continued "Then it's settled, you will be my best man or I guess woman"

"Why?" Willa asked

"Sherlock is my best friend but he should have never been my best man, he should have always been my fellow groom. You are my other best friend. I know what we've seen of each other since Afghanistan hadn't been the nicest but I still have my connection with you. If we hadn't been in the fight, if we hadn't been shot, I don't think we would have lasted as a couple but I am bloody sure we would be great mates" John smiled "So I'd like to make up for all that, do some catch up, help you and have you stand for me at our wedding."

Willa smiled and nodded

"Don't plan it too soon" she said as her smile fell and she looked back at the ceiling "They'll probably tell you this is a good day for me, but the bad ones the ones full of confusion and hate, and anger, they outnumber the good ones right now."

"We won't do anything until we are all well enough" John said kissing her hand again "Oh I almost forgot, we brought you some pictures of Alice for your board"

John handed the pictures to Daddy Holmes who hung them on a bulletin board they had put in Willa's room with family pictures"

"She's adorable" Willa smiled then yawned. Sherlock sang and soon she was asleep. Sherlock looked over at John with a smile.

"That's the most we've got her to talk in a while" He smiled "I can't wait till we bring Lestrade in, He'll get her talking more"

"And probably smiling more too" Mummy Holmes added with her own smile. "If she smiled the way she did at Anthea she will smile at Greg"

"And we should tell her Lestrade is a single man" Sherlock said "She never liked his wife said she was shrewish, and never talked nicely to Greg, He should have left her after the wedding when he learned the pregnancy was a scam."

"What?" John said looking up.

"Greg was on his way to the pros with Football, she said she was pregnant and he did the honorable thing an married her, he then learned it was false, he's too good natured and believed her story that she read the test wrong," Sherlock huffed and continued "then he wreaked his knee, and set out to fulfil another boyhood dream to be a police officer. He's more suited for work at the yard. He's the best they got and would be better if he only put that mind of his to better use than football and rugby scores and stats."

"And the solar system" Mycroft smirked

Sherlock just shot him a look.

"She stayed with him but slept around, she would have continued trying to make him look the fool if I hadn't pointed it out, no I think her knew but, he's so damned honorable, treats women like gold but he's been unlucky" Sherlock looked up at John "You should have seen the three of them, Greg, Anthea and Willa, always off on some weekend adventure."

Mycroft leaned forward with his mobile in hand. "I don't know why I keep it on there, it's been though six phones, but it makes me smile."

John let go of Willa's hand and took the mobile holding it on its side, on its screen was a picture of them on top of a roller coaster at Thorpe Park when they had climbed as part of a coaster climb they looked absolutely ecstatic excited and having so much fun.

"They'll be lucky to have each other" John smiled.

"If we can get them back together" Anthea said entering, her ever present blackberry was nowhere to be seen "She's convinced that Greg will never want to see her again, no matter what we do, when the doctors suggested a visit she freaked out"

"Oh." John said as Mycroft took his mobile back. "Why not freak out with me, we had a relationship?"

"You've moved on, I've moved on, Greg is free, Greg is available" Anthea said sitting by John "Plus it may have been something Moran or Mary programmed in, or Victor. Victor is very possessive, if he made Willa his"

"She has lots of healed bruises and cuts, Victor likes to bruise people, especially where others can't see" Sherlock added

John nodded and watched the sleeping Willa.

Willa's good days became further apart and only one family member was allowed in to the room. Mummy and Sherlock took turns. When she was starting to heal a little more she was moved to a different treatment wing. But again could only have one visitor at a time.

It took its toll on Sherlock. He would pace the flat in-between visiting hours and on days when his Mum went. John was still wheelchair bound as his feet were slow to heal after he developed an infection and although he was just starting physio on his shoulder the joint was not stable enough for using crutches.

Mummy and Daddy Holmes, who were staying in John's old room, insisted that Greg come at stay with them, they were so worried about him going home alone. So a cot was set up in the sitting room. Greg may have been released from the hospital but he was not doing too well.

Actually all three of the men weren't well, physically or mentally. Sherlock was more quiet then John had ever seen him. Greg just slept a lot, John had nightmares, and all three hardly ate.

Sherlock had brought up the possibility of Greg visiting Willa, Willa freaked out, she said he couldn't come that John couldn't come either, she had hurt them and they hated her.

Sherlock had been barred from seeing Willa for a few days after that, that didn't do anything to help Sherlock, he was quiet.

He doted on Alice though, He insisted that her crib be in the room with he and John, he was up several times a night feeding or changing her. In the morning he would allow Dad or Mum to hold her while he showered and got dressed, then he before the baring he would go off to see Willa till just after lunch (in the afternoon is when she had most of her appointments) and when he returned he took over care of John and Alice once again. He did fuss of Greg a little too.

Greg was almost worst of all of them, physically, his knee was not healing well and he faced even more surgeries, The hospital had given him a crutch that his forearm rested on so that there was no pressure on his hand which was nearly healed, the scar on his face was a little prominent then the thought it would be, the doctor at the casualty did a wonderful job but Greg had refused the plastic surgeon, he didn't want to add on another surgery on top of the once he may face for his knee. The scar from the long cut was barely noticeable when he was dressed; all you could see in his t-shirt was the part that wisped up on his neck. Mentally, he blamed a lot of what happened to Willa on himself, everything from the time she left England for Afghanistan to now.

He knew she had moved to France and got it in his mind that she didn't want to ever see him again and so he never went. He really wished he had gone, none of this would have happened if he had just gone to see her. But most of all he had wished that he had listened to not only his gut but to Sherlock when the man first brought up Marjorie (his ex-wife)'s infidelity. Marjorie was always jealous of the time Greg spent with Willa and Anthea. She might have known that the attraction was there that even though Anthea and Willa were together, well together but not committed they were just having fun, he wanted to be a part of that. But Marjorie didn't like the trips on Motorcycles up to Edinburgh or the amusement park thrill rides.

Greg had followed Willa to the airfield where she was flying out of to head back to Afghanistan. But he didn't enter Anthea arrived and pulled him in told him that what was going on between her and Willa was lust, but what could happen between Greg and Willa could be love, but it was too late the plane had left.

Greg returned home, his wife unaware where he had been carried on as if nothing changed.

Now he wished he could just simply hold Willa, even just see her.

They all tried to do their best for him but knew what he really needed was to see Willa.

John and Greg had been ordered by the doctors to see a therapist John just went back to Ella not that he liked her but he really didn't feel like explaining his life history to a new person. Greg was seeing one appointed by the MET. Though Greg had told him he never talked much in the sessions, yes the therapist was good at coping techniques and relaxation methods to help deal with the nightmares Greg had been having, but how would this person ever really truly understand what Greg went though. John told him he had the same feelings when going to see Ella. Most nights after Sherlock's body gave into exhaustion John and Greg would still be in the sitting room, John in his chair, Greg on the sofa and they would talk, that's what really helped.

The day Sherlock could return to visit Willa he practically ran out the door after his few measly bites of breakfast.

John settled into his chair with Alice and started reading her a story, Greg finished starring at his untouched breakfast and went back to lay in his cot. Mummy Holmes helped get his leg elevated, they were doing everything to try and stave off another surgery, the infections had all cleared and they just had to see if the swelling went down and if the ligaments were knitting. John was looking forward to maybe getting walking casts soon. It would make it easier to get in and out of the flat.

Daddy Holmes sat on the sofa reading the morning paper, the house was quiet.

"I think we should have a nice big dinner tonight" Mummy Holmes smiled

"Not too big, I don't think I could eat a lot" Greg said

"Nonsense you boys need to start eating more than a few crumbs, you are all becoming too thin, you and John are losing all your muscle and Sherlock, if he loses any more weight he'll disappear when turning sideways, or worse all of you will wind back up in Hospital. And we are not letting that happen, what is your favorite food John" Mummy Holmes said turning to face the chair

"I ah, never really said to anyone but I love Cornish pasty, my aunt used to make the best." John smiled

"Ok it's settled, dinner tonight will be Cornish pastey for John, Scotch Eggs for Greg, Toad in the Hole for Sherlock, his favorite since childhood, we'll have some potatoes and Sherlock does love mushy peas, and for desert, Bakewell Tart for Sherlock, strawberries and cream for Greg and I believe at Christmas you said you loved my Eccles cakes, there it's settled all the favorites will get you boys to eat. Father will be here to help should you need anything. I am going shopping"

Mummy Holmes went and gathered her purse she kissed John, Greg and Alice's foreheads then headed out.

Greg smiled "You know Mrs. Holmes and my Mum; they would have got along like two peas in a pod. Wish they could have met"

"My mom would have ignored her and called her too posh." John sighed "Mrs. Holmes has been more of a mother to me in the short time I've known her then my mother was the entire time I knew her."

"Sorry" Greg said picking up his book

"It's ok, if not for my past I wouldn't have my future" John said as Alice drifted off to sleep

"Ella tell you that?" Greg allowed himself a smirk

"Fortune cookie" John smiled and Greg laughed, first time he's laughed in the near month since this all started.

Greg looked to where Daddy Holmes was reading

"Sorry sir, your misses is going off making all our favorites and none of yours" Greg said

"She is making my favorites, anything she wishes to make is my favorite" Daddy Holmes smiled

"You have a wonderful relationship" John added

"It's had its hardships like any relationship, but that's what makes the bond stronger." Daddy Holmes smiled.

John and Greg smiled.

Sherlock reentered the apartment and went to hang up his jacket.

"How is she" Greg and John asked in unison

"She's back in the infirmary wing. " Sherlock said sitting in his chair "She had a bad session yesterday and lashed out, she hit her hand on the table and broke her fifth metacarpal, it is casted won't need surgery thankfully."

John reached over and gave his had a squeeze

"She was doing better; she had a real breakthrough on Monday. She said she wanted to see Greg" Sherlock said looking up at Greg who was still lying on the cot now with ice on his knee. "But I don't know what happened yesterday. It was something in the group therapy"

"She liked the group therapy" Mummy Holmes spoke up from the kitchen where she was cooking "Said there's that lovely young lady from Chelmsford, the one who plays the piano at all hours, oh what's her name"

Sherlock's head dropped and he sighed.

"Her name was Farah." Sherlock sighed "There was a lit candle and a peace lily plant on the reception desk, the name card read for Farah. I was worried about what condition Willa was in that it didn't click till now. That along with the fact that the patient with the developmental disorder, Corrine she copycat injured her hand, she's latched onto Willa and has made her, her hero. It's hard; everything Willa does Corrine mimics, although Willa has said it is a good encouragement to get better"

Mummy Holmes came over and hugged Sherlock.

"I'll see if we can arrange for us both to go see her tomorrow, we can talk with her about it ok, Maybe we can arrange for Alice to come she liked it when Alice was able to visit" Mummy said Sherlock just nodded and looked at Alice who was sleeping in her chair. "Now, supper will be ready in about an hour?" She asked heading back to the kitchen.

"I'm going to lie down" Sherlock said standing and heading for his bedroom.

"I'll come with you." John said as he started to ease his chair forward. Sherlock moved behind and guided the chair into the bed room.

Once in the bedroom John got comfortable sitting with his back on pillows up against the headboard. Sherlock climbed up and curled up tight with his head on John's lap.

He knew Sherlock was hurting. Sherlock hated being helpless and he felt helpless to help his sister. John just rubbed his back as he felt the sobbing start.

Sherlock would never admit it outright in public but he was a wreak, nearly loosing John, nearly loosing Willa, it had affected him deeper then John ever really thought it would. Sherlock wandered the flat the first night they were home, and John honestly believed that if Mum and Dad were not upstairs Sherlock would have gone off looking for a fix. That and Alice, He loved Alice as if she were his own. Mycroft had made sure that the birth certificate was changed and listing Sherlock as a father alongside John.

It hadn't been long since Sherlock last used on the plane when he thought he was going to be exiled forever. John knew that the want that hunger to use did not go away easily and sometimes it never did. But John would be here with him, they would navigate this together.

A/N the poems first is Ghost from the second is Her Strong Enchantments Failing by A.E Housman


	2. Chapter 2

(An for bottom Triche is French for cheated)

It was too quiet in the flat; one could hear a pin drop down on the street. Everyone just sat in silence not knowing what to say. Even little Alice just stared up at her Grand Mummy who was holding her.

Sherlock shook his head and stood heading to his older brother who was standing by the door.

"How could this happen?" He demanded backing Mycroft up against the wall.

"I'm sorry Sherlock, they managed to avoid our security and the blaze moved quickly I'm sure there was no suffering." Mycroft said he himself had tears building in his eyes.

He had received the call at 4am. The Maudsley Hospital was engulfed in flames and from what the CCTV cameras had shown it was an attack, upon closer examination the tapes raveled that it was Moran that led the attack. He had used a lot of the same tactics that he'd used to wreak havoc in Afghanistan.

"You said some got out maybe she got out, They could have her" Sherlock said though gritted teeth.

"The doors to her wing were all blocked, no one got out." Mycroft chocked out, the tears running down his cheeks.

Greg just curled up on the cot and stared at the wall, John carefully got up balanced in the walking boots he'd received just yesterday and went over and guided Sherlock to the sofa. Sherlock curled up on him and cried.

Daddy Holmes was holding Mummy Holmes and Alice, he took Alice and allowed Mummy to stand and go over hug Mycroft.

"There is a team sorting though, we will find her remains and she will have a proper funeral, not like before" Mycroft said

John just nodded as he felt Sherlock shiver.

"They must have had an insider" Greg spoke up, but still faced the wall. "She was due to come home soon"

Mycroft just nodded, he knew that both Greg and Willa had been looking forward to seeing each other again. It had been a lot of work but she was finally becoming the Willa they had all known and loved.

"We should call the Vicar." Mummy Holmes spoke up. "Start the planning. Do you think she should be buried here or the estate?"

"Estate" Sherlock spoke up. "She can be by Grand Mummy and Grandfather"

Mummy Holmes nodded and went to the other room to call the Vicar.

Sherlock curled up tighter on John. His fingers digging into his upper leg, John quietly rubbed his back. He watched as Daddy Holmes sat on the cot and hugged Greg. The only reason Greg was still staying was so that he could see Willa a bit when she came home.

He only got to see her once while she was in hospital; it had been a big deal she had finally wanted to see him. She cried a lot at first, kept begging forgiveness but soon they were cuddled up on a sofa talking like nothing bad had happened.

It was sort of her final test. A few more days of inpatient therapy then she would be released and put in an outpatient program.

Mycroft turned and left.

Anthea was waiting in the car. The look on her face was not that of mourning but of pure anger and hatred. As Mycroft entered the vehicle she looked back at her blackberry.

"After everything that had happened you're just going to tell them she's dead then leave" Anthea said without looking up.

"And what do you think I should do, stay and cry it out. It will not change a thing, my sister is dead, this time for real and what I need to do is find this Victor Trevor, along with Moriarty, Moran, and Mary." Mycroft said as the headed back to his office.

"But we don't know if she's dead" Anthea said looking up at him "The cameras from inside show her leaving her room and headed out of the ward. She's allowed to go to the cafeteria whenever she wants as the outside doors are alarmed and they want her up and walking, she wasn't locked in, she could have escaped."

"She wasn't in the crowd of survivors and if she did get out then they have her and she's a good as dead anyways." Mycroft said adjusting his jacket and starring out the window.

"You're the British government Mycroft, you're not God and sometimes I think you forget that" Anthea said as she leaned on the other door and returned to her blackberry tears and sniffles starting.

Mycroft just sighed and stared out the window for the rest of the drive back to the office.

Up in Baker Street Mummy Holmes informed everyone that the Vicar would be by in the morning.

Sherlock had moved into his bedroom and locked the door leaving John and Alice out in the hall. John sighed and headed back to the sitting room. Greg was up leaning on his crutches putting clothes in his duffle bag.

"What are you doing?" John asked

"It's been very nice of everyone to take me in and help me in my recovery, but my knee is the only thing that is refusing to heal, you and Sherlock have a lot to deal with so I think now may be the time to head back to my flat." Greg said zipping up the bag

"You can't leave now" John said shuffling over and laying Alice down in her chair she cooed up at Greg who blew her a kiss.

"You're family need space to mourn"

"You're mourning too" John said sitting on the cot. "And I think having you here is helping Sherlock. If you leave now, he may crumble, He's gotten use to your socks on the floor in the loo" John smirked

Greg shoved the bag aside and sat next to John.

"I, I just don't want to be intruding, you were supposed to be planning a wedding and now you're arranging a funeral." Greg said starring out at the flat.

"And you were hoping for a new start, a new love" John said looking over at the older man.

"I don't know. I mean I don't think it would have worked, I'm too old for her, and what about Anthea I know she said it was lust but lust can grow to love" Greg leaned back

"Anthea is with Mycroft now." John said Greg just looked at him.

"He's her boss" Greg said

"And a little more, I may have walked in on them once when Sherlock was ah dead oh ah I mean ah gone" John said.

Greg just nodded and turned to look out the window.

"Still I was nothing more than a friend" He said still looking out the window

"Some of the things she told me in Afghanistan. I'm surprised Moriarty only recently targeted you." John looked towards his and Sherlock's bedroom "Then again I think his primary focus is on Sherlock, I am still trying to figure out how Victor Trevor fits into all of this"

Greg nodded but he was still looking out the window. John heard the quiet sniffles and reached over and hugged him.

Mummy and Daddy Holmes returned from upstairs. Daddy Holmes grabbed his coat and headed out as Mummy came as sat by Greg and John.

"He's going to the local funeral home, see what we can start arranging." Mummy said taking Greg and John's hand in hers "I am so grateful that you are in Sherlock's life, you have both done so many wonderful things for him. I wish you both could have known him as a boy or a teen. The joy in him, I thought it was gone forever, but you both bring out something so special in him. You make him a better person" She gave a small smile "John you showed him love when he felt unworthy. Greg you gave him purpose. These next few weeks, months, maybe even years are going to be hard. I will always worry about him but I know the two of you will do right and keep him from sinking back into his depression and addiction. I'm still expecting a wedding, Willa would have wanted it. She wanted Sherlock to be happy."

John hugged her then Greg did, she rested her head on Greg's shoulder and cried. Greg just reached up and held her.

The house was dark and it was cold, but it was the safest place to be, away from them away from everything, to protect them.

Mycroft sat at his desk, Anthea was across the room from him, she was still angry at him and he could not blame her, he had been rather harsh, but such was the way he coped.

He'd been through this before, believing his baby sister dead. After he had moved her to Toulouse France for her recovery on her hip she seemed distant. In hindsight telling her John was dead was not the wisest thing he had done. But he never thought he would get a call that she had shot herself and fell into the Garonne, He was just as shocked as anyone when she showed up with Moriarty.

Further digging showed that her care nurse was Mary. But she was going not by Morstan but rather by Marie Triche. Mycroft had always meant to go and visit but he never got around to it. Anthea did but it was on one of the live in nurse's days off.

Moriarty had visited Sebastian in prison, but no one had taken notice then. Why would they. Sebastian knew a lot about Willa, they were very close friends before he went off the deep end. He would know about the house in Toulouse, in fact Sebastian and his boyfriend had visited it on one of their leaves.

Moriarty was Sebastian's boyfriend; they had met shortly after Sebastian joined the MI-6 team. Mycroft knew that Moriarty was a planner, but to get to Willa so far in advance, when she and Sherlock were barely on speaking terms during the first meeting.

Was that why Sebastian didn't come to England when the team was placed on extended leave while Willa came to care for Sherlock? It was his actions and going rouge that drove the team back to Afghanistan. He had been waiting for the set up all along. Moriarty just happened to meet Victor in his travels; he knew how Victor had tried to break down Sherlock, physically and mentally. It was Moriarty's mind manipulation abilities paired with Victor's mind altering chemical knowledge that worked together to corrupt Willa.

Moriarty was good but the Holmes brothers were better, especially when partnered with John Watson and Scotland Yard. Not that John or Greg were in any shape if a fight arose but they were still capable of helping in the investigation to the whereabouts of Moriarty, Moran and Morstan.

Anthea came over and wrapped her arms around him. She kissed his cheek.

"I'm sorry" She said sitting on his desk

"No it should be me apologizing to you." Mycroft started "I just"

Anthea cut him off with a kiss.

"You've been on the go since 4 this morning and even now you are just starring at your computer, come eat, let's talk" Anthea said running her hand though his hair.

"I'm just watching the live camera the recovery crew" Mycroft said pointing at the screen.

Anthea turned to see the screen; people in hazmat suits were digging through the ashes of the hospital wing. Everything was so charred. They would touch something and it would crumble in their hands.

"What were they using to make it burn so hot and so fast?" Anthea asked.

"Not entirely sure still waiting on the preliminary arson reports" Mycroft said holding her hand

Anthea nodded and started heading to the kitchen

"I'll make you something to eat." She said leaving.

Mycroft put his head in his hands. He's let them down, again. They were his family and he kept letting them down, From Sherlock's drug use to Willa's eating disorder as a teenager, followed by her own drug use. He was supposed to be the smarter one, how could he have missed all that, all the signs he wasn't aware till it was too late. And this time, this time he had messed up big time and it cost him his sister's life.

Tears streamed down Mycroft's face, he wiped them away and tried to focus on the computer screen, the crew was reaching Willa's room. It was dark and charred, the ashen remains stood like some ghostly sculpture, there on the bed was a figure it looked like it was wrapped in a blanket. The lead crew member reached up and touched it, and the blanket disintegrated before his eyes revealing a charred skeleton. The crew started the preservation process for the remains

Mycroft slammed the laptop shut and threw up in his trashcan before resting his head in his hands and crying against them. At least there would be a body to bury and Mother and Father could have closure. He only could hope that Sherlock would stay stable, that John was able to help him though this.

John carefully held Sherlock; they were once again curled up on their bed. It had been another long hard day. The funeral director and the Vicar had been by. After much discussion it was decided that Willa would be buried in London instead of the Estate, this would allow Sherlock, Mycroft, John and even Greg to visit the grave whenever they may need to. Plus Mummy had stated that Willa always felt more at home in London then she did the estate.

The readings and hymns where chosen, Sherlock insisted that he would be playing a song at the graveside. One of Willa's favorites but would not answer what song when asked.

Mycroft was chosen for the eulogy. Sherlock tried to protest but knew that he may not be able to make it through writing a eulogy let alone delivering one.

Sherlock lapsed in to sobs again as he pulled John closer.

"I am sorry" He sobbed

"For what" John asked running his fingers though Sherlock's hair.

"For two years you mourned me, did it feel like this?" He asked

"Yes" John answered, "The hole not only in your heart but in your soul, the anger the pain then the overwhelming sadness"

"I'm sorry, I fear this is my punishment for that, and regrettably I have once again caused you all pain in my actions" Sherlock said looking up at John

"No, no, no this is not your fault, there are four people at fault for all of this and I was the stupid one who fell in love with one of them" John said kissing Sherlock's forehead.

"You weren't stupid you were hurting." Sherlock said as he carefully sat up. He moved to be sitting next to John, he rested his head on his shoulder. "I am lucky that you chose to return to me."

"I can't leave you." John said kissing him "You are my world."

Sherlock started to cry again and John drew him in close to a hug and kissed the top of his head.

"How did you get through it, before, her.. How did you cope?" Sherlock asked

"I had Mrs. Hudson, and Greg, believe it or not Harry was a bit of help" John said before kissing the top of Sherlock's head again, he'd also tried to do his best to find Willa to no avail. He knew that once the initial period of mourning Sherlock would be back on the case trying to find Victor, Mary, Moran and Moriarty, especially Moriarty and Victor. John shuddered to think what Sherlock would do to them once he got his hands on him, though he was pretty sure that this time Moriarty would stay dead.

There was a knock on the door, John looked up.

"Come in"

Mummy Holmes peeked in, came over and sat on the edge of the bed.

"I know this morning was very emotional and hard. I was just wondering how you two were holding up" She asked

Sherlock buried his face in John's chest. Mummy rubbed his back.

"We will get through this Sherlock, I know it seems hard but we will get through this." Mummy Holmes said leading down and kissing the top of his head. "Gregory is heading back to his flat today. He will be back here on Wednesday before the funeral he's going to wear his formal uniform white gloves and all, he thinks it still fits" She gave a small smile.

"John would you wear your uniform?" Sherlock asked without looking up. "I think it would look nice you and Lestrade in uniform I know with both your injuries still healing neither of you will be able to act as pallbearers but I would like you both to walk together in front of her coffin as it is brought down the aisle towards the cemetery."

"I will do that for you, I think Willa would have liked that." John smiled running his hand over Sherlock's back and pulling him close as her dissolved into sobs again.

Mycroft stood looking at himself in the mirror. Anthea had picked out his suit, black pinstripe with a pink tie and pocket square, pink was Willa's favorite colour. Mycroft was determined to stay focused today, to stay strong. He had cried enough the past four days today there would be no tears.

Anthea exited her walk in closet she was in a simple black dress with a pink scarf draped over her shoulders. She walked over and wrapped her arms around Mycroft.

"How are you holding up?" Sher asked adjusting his tie.

"I'm fine." He said turning to face her.

"It's ok to break, it's ok to cry" Anthea said as Mycroft headed to his desk.

"I've done my crying" he said opening his laptop.

"You are not starting work, Myc, You can take one day off, the country won't fall" Anthea said sitting on the desk.

"I'm looking over the eulogy" He said as the printer buzzed to life

"Nervous"

"Of course, I was sure Mummy would do Willa's, I never thought I would do it." Mycroft said rubbing his eyes. Anthea hugged him "I never thought we would see her after France and only to have her brought back and used against us."

"Today you have the day off, you mourn you support your family, then tomorrow you set your sites on that quartet and you bring them to justice" Anthea said kissing him.

Mycroft held her close.

"Thank you" He said standing, "We should be going Mummy wanted us all at Baker Street before the funeral."

Anthea nodded and the two left.

John stood in front of the mirror, He hadn't worn this uniform in a while he'd taken it in a few days ago for dry cleaning and a press. The trousers did fit a little awkwardly over his walking boots. He'd actually called up veterans services to make sure it was ok he wore it this way. They had said it was fine

Sherlock exited the lavatory. He still was wrapped in his dressing gown and treading around in bare feet.

"Sherlock, the others will be here soon you should get dressed" John said as Sherlock sat back in the bed.

"I, I can't find it" Sherlock said drawing his knees up under his chin.

"Find what?" John said entering the lavatory and seeing Sherlock's suit hanging there "There's your trousers your jacket, pink shirt, black tie, and pink pocket square, socks, pants, what's missing Sherlock"

"The cuff links, I can't find them" Sherlock was near tears again. Even the slightest things had set him off these past few days; he had never seen Sherlock so emotional, he'd seen the so called sociopath show emotions but not to this extent. But then again Willa was family, even the ice man Mycroft was showing signs of cracking every time John had seen him this week.

"What cuff links, your favorites are right here" John said pointing to a tray on the dresser

"No those ones the ones she gave me" Sherlock said standing and looking thought the drawers on his dresser "I used to wear them all the time, then I put them away"

"What do they look like?" John said standing beside Sherlock; He held Sherlock's hands in his hands in an attempt to calm the man.

"Tiffany cufflinks shaped like a sail boat, She bought them for me for Christmas the first year she had her own job, she had saved her money and bought Mycroft and I cufflinks, English Roses for Mycroft and pirate ships for me" Sherlock said throwing items on the floor and bed

"Here" John said as he produced a small tiffany blue box from the very back of the bottom drawer, he opened them up to reveal a set of sterling silver gaffer sailboats.

"Thank you" Sherlock said pulling John into the tightest hug he'd ever been in.

"You are welcome" John said as Sherlock took the box and entered the lavatory.

A little while later he exited and sat on the bed he motioned for John to head into the sitting area.

"I'll be there shortly." Sherlock said "I just need a little more quite till I go in there"

"Ok" John said kissing Sherlock and heading into the sitting room.

Molly was already there, she was able to get the morning off for the funeral, she was sitting next to Greg who was in his full formal dress police uniform. Mummy Holmes was sitting with him holding Alice and talking, Daddy Holmes was standing by the window with Mycroft and Anthea and some of their friends. John recognized one of the men standing by Anthea it was Flagg also in his military uniform. Flagg turned and saw John.

"Captain Watson?" He asked stepping forward.

"Major Flagg" John said extending his hand "I wish I could say it was nice to see you again, maybe under different circumstances"

"Of course" Flagg said taking John's hand and shaking it "Mycroft asked me to come. I hadn't heard from Willa in years, figured she was off living quietly with you."

"No, no, My life is with another Holmes" John said as Sherlock entered the sitting area.

"Samuel" Sherlock said extending his hand to Flagg "I wasn't aware you were back in London"

Alice upon hearing Sherlock started to fuss and look for him.

"Special trip, though Evie stayed in Pienza, our granddaughter is due with twins any day now" Flagg said taking Sherlock's hand and pulling him in tight for a hug. "I honestly wish I had come to visit sooner, I hadn't seen Willa since the raid in Afghanistan, Though Evie would have thanked her, it's what drove me to finally retiring"

"Willa thought you should have retired when she was promoted over you." Sherlock allowed himself a small smile. Mummy brought Alice over and Sherlock took her in his arms

"I couldn't leave my best student with such a green team, She and Mor.. the spotter were the best we had on the ground, though the addition of Captain Watson over here was a boon"

"John has a way of bringing out the best in everyone" Sherlock said as the cars pulled up outside.

"It's time" mummy Holmes said they nodded and headed out.

John took Alice and put her in her carrier as Sherlock grabbed his violin and headed down the waiting car.

The chapel was not crowded, the casket was already at the altar, it was surrounded by candles and flower arrangements, mostly calla lilies and pink roses, Willa's favorite. The family was seated in the front and the funeral started.

The vicar stood in front.

"'I am the resurrection and the life,' says the Lord. 'Those who believe in me, even though they die, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die." He said "We meet in the name of Jesus Christ, who died and was raised to the glory of God the Father. Grace and mercy be with you. Almighty God, you judge us with infinite mercy and justice and love everything you have made. In your mercy turn the darkness of death into the dawn of new life, and the sorrow of parting into the joy of heaven; through our Saviour, Jesus Christ."

"Amen" the congregation answered, Sherlock took John's hand in his a squeezed it tight.

There were readings done by Anthea and Sherlock's Mum. Then more prayers and hymns.

Mycroft stood and headed to the podium notes in hand, John saw him tremble as he looked down at the paper. As Mycroft started to talk Sherlock squeezed John's hand tighter, as Mycroft talked about their family trips to the highlands, to when Mycroft was 12, Sherlock 7 and Willa 5 they commandeered a neighbors small rowboat and decided that they were going to sail from England to Spain in this tiny boat, they had to be rescued from the lake after the boat, which had been on land to be repaired, sprung a leak and they were stranded. John looked to see Sherlock smile.

"I told you once upon a time Mycroft was human" Sherlock said in John's ear.

John smiled; Mycroft concluded the eulogy and sat. The Vicar stood by the coffin.

"Let us commend Dora Wilhelmina Anne Holmes to the mercy of God, our maker and redeemer. God our creator and redeemer, by your power Christ conquered death and entered into glory. Confident of his victory and claiming his promises, we entrust Willa to your mercy in the name of Jesus our Lord, who died and is alive and reigns with you, now and forever."

"Amen" the congregation answered.

The vicar moved behind the coffin

" Now, Lord, you let your servant go in peace: your word has been fulfilled. My own eyes have seen the salvation which you have prepared in the sight of every people; A light to reveal you to the nations and the glory of your people Israel. Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit; as it was in the beginning is now and shall be forever. Amen."

"Amen" They all repeated.

They stood.

Daddy Holmes, and Sherlock took the first front position at the coffin, next were Anthea and Willa's childhood friend Marisol, Flagg and Mycroft were in the back two spots. John and Greg stood in front.

The pallbearers lifted the casket onto their shoulders and headed out into the cemetery, John, carrying Alice, and Greg led the way. Molly followed behind with Mummy Holmes and Mrs. Hudson.

Once at the grave side the coffin was lowered into the new plot. The vicar stood beside as Sherlock gathered his violin.

The Vicar spoke

"We have entrusted our sister Willa to God's mercy, and we now commit her body to the ground: earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust: in sure and certain hope of the resurrection to eternal life through our Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our frail bodies that they may be conformed to his glorious body, who died, was buried, and rose again for us. To him be glory forever."

"Amen" they answered

The vicar gave a small nod to Sherlock who began to play. John couldn't help but smile as the notes of David Bowie's Heroes filled the cemetery. He played alone for the first part.

"Though nothing, will keep us together We could steal time, just for one day We can be heroes, forever and ever What'd you say?" Greg sang spontaneously. Pain and aching in his shaking voice

"I, I wish you could swim Like the dolphins, like dolphins can swim Though nothing, nothing will keep us together We can beat them, forever and ever Oh, we can be heroes, just for one day" Anthea joined in taking Mycroft's hand as the Eldest Holmes also joined.

"I, I will be king And you, you will be queen Though nothing will drive them away We can be heroes, just for one day We can be us, just for one day" All but the Vicar had joined in by the final note. The mourners sang as Sherlock played tears streaming down his cheeks. When the final notes were done each person in attendance tossed a pink Rose on the casket and headed to the waiting cars. John handed the car seat to Molly and headed back into the graveyard.

Sherlock stood by the grave his hand resting in on the headstone. He was talking

"Mr. and Mrs. Brown first met Paddington on a railway platform. In fact, that was how he came to have such an unusual name for a bear, for Paddington was the name of the station." Sherlock looked up at John and continued. "The Browns were there to meet their daughter Judy, who was coming home from school for the holidays. It was a warm summer day and the station was crowded with people on their way to

the seaside." He recited the entire story from heart. "I'm sure I shall like her, if you say so, he said, catching sight of his reflection on the brightly polished letterbox. But will she like me?" Sherlock finished before turning to face John "Paddington Bear was her favorite. A chapter a night is what she would get when we were young, or else she would be up all night" he said with a small smile "Read her the stories so many times it was hard not to commit them to memory, I often debated deleting them, but I couldn't."

Sherlock reached up for John's hand and he headed to his soldier. John's fingers just brushed Sherlock's before the taller man collapsed. John caught him before he hit the ground.

Mummy and Mycroft hurried over as Sherlock already started to wake.

"Oh dear my love" Mummy Holmes said helping John and Mycroft to get his standing "I knew you weren't eating enough and you have stressed yourself out to your limit. Let's get you home and in bed"

Sherlock just nodded as John and Mycroft put his arms over their shoulders and started leading him to the car. Mummy picked up and brought his Violin.

Once back at Baker Street Sherlock was settled in his room and the others gathered out in the sitting room for the lunch Mummy had ordered from Speedy's

Molly stood it was time for her to back to St. Bart's.

"You can't stay a little longer" Mummy Holmes asked

"No I'm sorry I promised I would be back at work soon" Molly said hugging her.

"Ok well we'll be in town till Monday please don't be a stranger." Mummy Holmes said returning the hug.

"I won't" She said turning and leaving.

Greg started to stand John put his hand on his leg

"Greg stay a while longer, Mum likes having you to fuss over" John said. It was true the week he'd been back at his flat leading up to the funeral Mummy was constantly wanting to check in on him and wanting to bring him food.

Greg just nodded and Mummy sat beside him

"How's your knee Gregory, did you need a stool to elevate it" She asked

"Ah no thank you Mum, it's doing well. I may not need my cane for much longer." He gave a small smile.

"That is good; just don't push yourself too much." She said taking his hand. "Don't want to reinjure yourself."

"I won't mum, I am going back on desk and light duty next week though, I have to admit I am getting a little bored always being at home" Greg smiled

"That's good, you can grab some cases and get my boy back out there thinking instead of sitting here going stir crazy with grief" Mummy Holmes said hugging him. Greg just hugged back.

Molly put her funeral clothes in her locker and headed for her lab's office. As she passed the autopsy tables she stopped, there was someone on the far one. This was not right, for one all bodies were to be kept in the cooler, and two, this one was fully dressed, as Molly neared she could smell smoke.

Upon hearing the footsteps the body moved, it's no, her head turned to face Molly, Molly covered her mouth sure that she was going to scream but no sound came out.

"Hi Molly"

"Willa, you, your, I just watched you being carried you to your final resting place" Molly stammered out

"Oh they found a body in my room, Corrine like to snuggle in my duvet when I wasn't there" Willa said sitting. She started coughing, a hard rough cough that rattled her chest.

"Smoke inhalation?" Molly asked Willa nodded "I tested the remains I found DNA, it was yours"

"Trace DNA probably from my duvet and clothes, She said her room was haunted so would find her way into mine when I was out."

"Your family buried you today, Sherlock, John, your parents, even Mycroft are a mess." Molly said as Willa continued to cough and ease herself off of the autopsy table.

"They can't know I am alive yet, not till I am long gone" Willa said between breaths. "If Victor, Sebastian, or Jim knows I am alive" She stopped to catch her breath "They'll kill everyone. I came by I need you to check my hip, I think I strained it, I lost my cane in the fire and been having trouble walking. Once you're done I can get on my way far away, once away you can tell Sherlock, John, Mycroft, Mummy, Daddy, Anthea and Greg the truth."

"You need care; you have smoke damage to your lungs." Molly said guided her to a chair

"I thought I was fine, I got out and I got to this house that the owners are on vacation, They left lots of signs, they were lucky all I did was sleep in their bed and eat their food, they had nice stuff, I got there and I guess I passed out, I think I had a fever too, I woke up a few days ago and I was trying to get well so I could go far away."

"Stay here I'm going to get you some water"

Willa nodded and Molly left.

John poured himself another cup of coffee and headed to the desk. As he sat his mobile rang. He looked to see Molly's name and number on the display screen.

"Hello"

 _Hi John it's Molly, you need to come to St. Bart's right away_

"Are you ok has something happened?" John asked quietly as he looked over at his shoulder where Mummy Holmes was showing Greg pictures of Willa when she was younger.

 _Just come here NOW!_

"Ok, I'm on my way" John said standing; he hung up and got his coat.

"Are you alright my dear?" Mummy Holmes asked

"I ah, I need to go see someone" John said, Mummy Holmes stood and hugged him

"You do whatever you need, if Sherlock wakes I will let him know you went out" mummy said sitting back by Greg as John left.

Molly led Willa back to the office and into the chair; Molly had grabbed some scrubs and helped Willa change out of her dirty clothes, and had washed her hair. Willa's cough wouldn't stop. She needed oxygen, but just kept insisting that she was fine and needed to go.

Willa eased herself up onto the crutch Molly had found her, as she headed for the main autopsy room the doors opened and in walked John. His face paled as he looked at the two women in front of him.

"W, Wil, Willa" He stammered out as he gripped the nearest autopsy table in order to remain upright.

"Why are you here?" Willa asked

"I called him" Molly said as Willa lapsed back into a coughing fit.

John straitened and made a beeline over to Willa

"Sit" He instructed pointing to the table behind her.

Willa just looked but allowed Molly to help her up.

"Molly I need a stethoscope" John said as Willa coughed again "How long have you been coughing?"

"Since the fire" Willa said before telling him everything as Molly hunted down a stethoscope.

"So you were just going to let us all go one believing you were dead…. Again" John asked as Molly returned. John put the stethoscope in his ears and pushed up the back of the scrub top Willa was wearing.

She flinched at the coldness of it against her skin. John asked her to breathe in; she did but got caught in a cough.

"Willa you have lung damage, pretty severe too. I believe you have pneumonia" John said as he further examined Willa.

"Then give me some antibiotics and I'll be on my way." Willa said as she tried to get down from the table

"You are going nowhere but to bed, with oxygen and medication" John said moving her back to a laying position on the table.

"They'll kill all of you" Willa argued tears forming.

"They are long gone, back the east to lick their wounds" John said taking out his mobile

"Who are you calling?" Willa asked

"Mycroft, seeing where we can get you in for treatment" John said moving into the office. Molly came and stood by Willa.

"Please forgive me Willa, I remember how Sherlock was when he thought you were dead the first time, and I remember how Greg and John were when Sherlock faked his death. You can't do this to them, not again." Molly said "I know you think you are protecting them but you aren't you're just hurting them."

Willa nodded as John returned.

"Mycroft asked if I could treat you at Baker Street. I said yes, you will go up to my old room and he is sending over the necessary equipment. For now I am going to get you some oxygen and Mycroft is sending a car to take us" John said before heading out to get a portable oxygen tank.

Willa just curled up on the table.

John returned and got the mask over her face.

"I am mad at you Willa; I don't understand why the Holmes siblings think playing dead is better than telling the truth and getting help. Or why they think it's the only way to protect people." He said starting an IV with the other supplies he had gathered. Willa went to move the mask to talk "No, no moving that, no talking, you need oxygen you need antibiotics and you need proper rest. You will return to Baker Street Greg is still there and you will let us help you. Alright?"

Willa nodded and curled up again

"I know you are terrified of them, I would be too, all they have done to you and your mind. You are so close to being free of them don't let this set you back" John said as he leaned down and kissed her forehead

"I don't want them to hurt you, any of you." Willa said moving her mask

"They won't" John said gently putting the mask back over her mouth and nose.

Willa curled up on the table as Molly scrounged up a wheelchair for them to take.

John's mobile beeped, he looked then helped Molly get Willa into the chair. He started pushing it towards the car bay where the hearses and ambulances would come. Willa tried to tell him he shouldn't be doing all this in the walking boots, but John just put the mask back over her face.

The black car pulled out and Anthea got out, the minute she saw Willa she broke out in a run and threw her arms around her friend.

Willa just gave a small smile as Anthea helped her into the car.

"We already informed your Mum and Dad so that they would be prepared to help Sherlock and Greg when you arrive." She said doing up Willa's seatbelt and kissing her cheek "I knew you had to be alive I begged Mycroft to let me help with the search, there was no way you would be cocooned in your blanket like that, you hate having fabric over your head and even more so hate it over your face."

Willa nodded as John got in beside her.

Anthea got in the driver's seat and they were off to Baker Street.

Sherlock sat in his chair starring at the fire in the fireplace. He was huddled in his blanket. Mum had come and woken him, said John had some wonderful news and was on his way back from, somewhere, Sherlock had zoned out. Alice was looking at him, well in his direction from what he read about infant depth perception at this young age he would be out of focus. She yawned. Sherlock started to hum and watched as his tiny daughter dozed off.

His daughter, listen to him, John maybe back at 221b and maybe back to sharing a bed, but that did not make Alice HIS daughter, and he and John had never really discussed it. Then again John had something about a changed birth certificate.

He pulled his legs up underneath him tighter and laid his head on the back of his chair.

The door opened and John entered followed by Mycroft who was holding someone in his arms.

Greg stood and moved to the chair allowing Mycroft to lay his bundle on the sofa, John adjust the oxygen mask and IV Pole they had brought.

Greg starred as Sherlock studied the person.

"Willa?" Greg asked though building tears.

She gave a small wave.

"It seems our fair Willa was able to escape the fire" Mycroft said looking over to Sherlock.

He was pale. He carefully stood and keeping the blanket tight around him he shuffled over to the sofa. As he did John filled them in on what had happened and how Willa came to be not dead.

Sherlock dropped to his knees by the sofa and grabbed Willa in a tight embrace and held her tight. He was crying.

"Why" He asked locking eyes with Willa

"I couldn't let them hurt you." She answered though the mask.

Sherlock tightened his hold

"Please don't ever do that to me again"

"I won't" Willa said.

Sherlock kissed her forehead as Willa looked over his shoulder at Greg. Sherlock stood and moved out of the way. Greg sat beside her on the sofa and ran his hand though her hair

"I thought I lost you forever" He said

Willa squeezed his hand tight.

Mycroft watched as Mum and Dad came and hugged her.

"I know it's a big day, raising from the dead and all but she needs her rest" John said after an hour of hugs and talking.

Daddy Holmes picked her up and He and John headed up to get her settled in John's old room.

Mummy Holmes went and sat by Sherlock as he fed Alice.

"How are you my dear" she asked

"Coping" He answered "I now know how it was for everyone when I played dead. I know the sadness and I know the anger that John must have felt when I came back, the anger over the abandonment. I only had a week; he had two years to brew. I know Willa's reasoning was not sound as she is still not in a mentally stable place, but I did not have that excuse when I did it. I thought I was doing the right thing, pretending to be dead to save John, Molly, Lestrade and you and dad. I now know how wrong that was. And Willa thought she was doing the same. But what fear she must have felt watching them burn a place she felt safe. To become so scared that even when hurt, badly, she hid instead of seeking out medical care." Sherlock finished feeding Alice and moved her onto his shoulder to burp her.

"You children were always too clever and too smart for your own good" Mummy Holmes said kissing his forehead. Sherlock gave a small smile. "You father and I will be heading home in the Moring. I know Willa is still quite sick but a full house will not help. She needs quite, she needs calm, and she needs her favorite brother"

Sherlock smiled bigger.

"You and John and Greg will help her. She's damaged, but you've already put one damaged person back together, and he was a complete stranger, you'll work wonders with Willa" Mummy Holmes said standing.

"Thank you Mummy" Sherlock said as Alice let out a burp. "Ah nice one Alice" 


	3. Chapter 3

(Notes: two rewrites retellings of some original Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's short Sherlock stories. The Adventure of the Cardboard Box and The Norwood Builder)

The summer came with a heat wave. Baker Street was like an oven and Sherlock had multiple fans turned on to prevent the heat from messing with any of his experiments.

Sherlock was curled on the sofa, reading a letter he'd gotten in the post a week ago.

Willa was in the kitchen trying out a recipe for easy at home ice cream, she thought it would be a nice treat in the heat, especially if Greg came home and complained about their lack of Air Conditioning again… Willa and Sherlock had told him he could go sleep in his office at the yard.

Willa like John was not bothered by the heat, they had learned to become accustom to it while serving in Afghanistan

John flipped through the paper aimlessly; there was nothing of interest in it. Parliament was out for the summer and not much else was going on. There were some stories about the upcoming Glastonbury Music Festival. Greg and Willa were going to that for a nice summer vacation. They were renting a camper van and camping for the length of the festival. They were excited for the Lumineers and New Order.

John thought it sounded like a nice trip but with Alice it would be hard. And music festival was no place for a five month old. John had tried to suggest maybe a nice trip to the country or up to see Sherlock's parents, but Sherlock either wasn't getting the hint or was ignoring it.

No the man preferred to be in the middle of a bustling city always looking for something to happen. John reared the parliamentary story and thought how childish it was to just adjourn then to make a proper decision. John tossed the paper on the desk and looked over to Sherlock.

"Yes, they were rather childish in their decision" Sherlock said looking up and John just stared at Sherlock, he was sure he hadn't said anything out loud.

"How?" John started "You can't possibly be a mind reader now"

"No there is no such thing as a mind reader John, just someone who is keen to the behaviors of others." Sherlock smiled "Your reading about parliament, you expressions and body language led me to believe that you are in disagreement with how they handled the final session and in the past you have often referred to them acting like children."

"I shouldn't be surprised by this anymore, I really shouldn't" John said shaking his head he could hear Willa giggling in the kitchen.

"No you really shouldn't John, but that was all trivial, I may ask if you have read the small article pertaining to a Miss Cushing of Cross Street, Croydon, and the remarkable contents of a packet she received?" Sherlock smirked

"I have not" John answered Sherlock sat up

"It's a small paragraph just under the Sudoku puzzle, a really easy puzzle I may add one glance when you turned the pages and I had it solved… do people really find though things difficult" Sherlock mused as John retrieved the paper and found the page.

"It's the case Lestrade mentioned to you last night, the prank about the severed ears" John said "He's looking into medical students that were Miss Cushing's former flat mates. It's a cruel joke Sherlock, nothing more; you said it yourself last night"

"Yes but Gavin text me this morning and said it may be up my alley. They are having troubles tracking the package and postage." Sherlock said as Willa entered with a cup of somewhat soft ice cream looking food. She handed a dish to John and to Sherlock before settling at the desk with her own cup.

"He's taken the box and the contents to Bart's to have Molly examine the ears. Care for an outing to the cool air of the morgue?" Sherlock said, John nodded. And the two men took a spoonful of their icy treat.

John's lips puckered as Sherlock make a face.

"Too sour?" Willa asked as her own spoon hovered at her lips.

"What flavor is this supposed to be?" John asked

"Lemon meringue pie" Willa said taking a cautious spoonful her lips puckered "oh god too much lemon"

"I rather like it" Sherlock said eating his then reaching for John's once done. John gladly handed it over.

"I forgot we tried to prank you with those warhead candies and you ate them like they were nothing" John said standing. "I'll check on Alice see if she needed changing then we can head out… That is if you don't object to child minding Willa?"

"I don't mind at all" Willa smiled "Just get this case wrapped up and don't let Greg take another so we can at least have some fun this weekend without a case weighing on his mind"

"Of course" John said headed back to his and Sherlock's bedroom as Sherlock eyed Willa's ice cream.

"Are you going to eat that?" He asked. Willa smiled and handed the cup to Sherlock who happily ate it as he headed to change out of his dressing gown.

After a few minutes both men were off and Willa was left to work on some tracking she had been working on for Trevor, Mary, Moran and Moriarty.

"So, secret organization, mislabeled package for oddity of the month club, cannibalistic admirer" Willa asked as the two men returned early the next morning from their journey of the box, John headed to the lavatory as Sherlock stood by Willa.

"No, the box was never meant for Susan but rather for her sister Sarah who is no longer a resident there, while it did in a way involve murder it was nothing like what we had initially thought. But at least it kept us busy" Sherlock said without further explanation "I swear Lestrade is getting soft, calling us for everything now, as if he doesn't see enough of us at home, which by the way wouldn't it be more advantageous for you to move in with him now?" Sherlock asked looking at Willa who was feeding Alice.

"Um, why, He only is over a few times a week, we're taking things slow." Willa said as Sherlock took Alice from her to burp her.

"Yes if you call noisy three am coitus taking it slow" Sherlock said sitting in his chair.

"If my living here is bothering you, you could just say so" Willa said standing and grabbing her cane "I only agreed to live here when I was sick, since you didn't kick me out when I was better, I guess I wrongly assumed I was still welcome. I am sorry I am cramping yours and John's lives." Willa said heading upstairs and Mrs. Hudson entered with a tray of tea.

"Oh dear what's wrong with Willa, What did you say to her Sherlock?" Mrs. Hudson said setting the tea tray in front of him

"I was merely trying to help her further her relationship with Lestrade" Sherlock said as Alice burped and spit up all over his shoulder "Well I guess that's what I get for not laying down a cloth first. John bring me a towel" He said as John neared

John nodded and brought one over as Willa entered and headed for the desk, she had a backpack on her shoulders and was starting to put her laptop in her messenger bag that was hung cross body.

"This is all I have. Thank you, you have been generous." She walked to John and kissed his cheek before hugging Mrs. Hudson. "I don't have a key to Greg's flat yet but I'm sure Mycroft won't mind me crashing at the Diogenes till Greg is off. In fact in the silence I can get some work done."

"Willa what are you doing?" John asked looking between Sherlock and his sister.

"Sherlock made his thoughts clear. I don't belong here." She said heading for the door.

Sherlock stood and gave Alice to John

"Willa that's not what I meant" Sherlock said realizing how with Willa still dealing with many mental traumas and mind manipulation that she had been though, how his words could be taken.

"You want me out and with Greg, that's fine"

Sherlock stood in the doorway.

"Yes I think you and Lestrade would be wonderful together seeing how I took John from you and Mycroft took Anthea, but I believe that is because you are meant to be with Greg" Sherlock said "I know I'm not wise in the ways of Human Nature and love but I am good at ready body language and observation, and my skills in those areas say that you belong together. Not stuck in a flat babysitting your brother's child all the time. This music festival is good for you and Lestrade, but also I believe that you two deserve a place of your own. To raise a family" Sherlock smiled

"How did you know?" Willa asked

"You're mood and emotional swings have been more frequent this little display being case in point. You've been trying a lot of odd combos of food like the tacos with strawberries you had two nights ago, and Greg's reluctance to be away overnight last night leading John and I to assure him we could wrap up the case for him finish this morning. The fact you rented a camper van for Glastonbury when back before you two and Anthea used to take a tarp and some sticks and make a well tent for lack of better word."

Willa gave a small smile

"We were waiting till we got back and I officially entered my second trimester before we told anyone, Greg owes me 20 pounds told him you would figure it out before we told you" Willa said kissing Sherlock's cheek.

"So please sit, calm and we'll work something out, I will have to let Lestrade know that I can procure a shotgun if necessary" Sherlock smirked.

"That won't be necessary" Willa smiled as Sherlock took her bags from her and leading her to the sofa. He kissed her forehead and went back to his chair.

John stretched out on the sofa Alice was laying on his chest and cooing. Sherlock was in their room something about matching socks. John had really been enjoying the quiet weekend, Greg and Willa had left for the festival on Thursday and the house was quiet. Friday they had taken Alice to the zoo, Saturday was the aquarium and the park, and today was just a quiet day at home.

Sherlock exited the bedroom and went to stand at the window.

"We have a visitor one very agitated visitor" Sherlock said as someone knocked on the door. "I heard him on the steps" Sherlock said as he moved to open the door.

As he did a disheveled man limped in and practically flung himself at Sherlock.

"Mr. Holmes, Mr. Sherlock Holmes?" The man asked frantically

"Yes" Sherlock said prying the man away and having him sit in the chair they reserved for clients. "What had caused your urgency, Mr…"

"McFarlane, John Hector McFarlane" The man said ringing his hands. "I beg your pardon on the account of my nervousness and urgency but I must tell you my side of the story before they come, as I am a wanted man"

Sherlock raised an eyebrow and took comfort in his own chair.

"A wanted man pursued by whom?" Sherlock asked

"I am wanted for the murder of Jonas Oldacre, in Surrey." Mr. McFarlane said as he looked around the room.

"And you did not commit this murder?" Sherlock asked

"He was alive and breathing when I left" McFarlane said as more footsteps were heard on the stairs, John tucked Alice under his arm and answered the door.

Dimmock and Donovan stood there.

"Tracked a suspect here and we are here to arrest him' Dimmock said "For the murder of Mr. Jonas Oldacre whom he beat to death and then burned the body in the back year in the wood pile.

"He came to seek help from me; may I at least hear his side of the story?" Sherlock answered.

"If you want freak but you'll have to come down to the station" Donovan replied

"As is only fair" Sherlock said standing and getting his coat "Shall we leave Alice with Mrs. Hudson?"

"Why don't I stay here with…" John started but one look told him to change his mind "I'll go see if Mrs. Hudson is available"

John put Alice in her travel seat and grabbed her bag before heading down to 221A.

Dimmock read McFarlane his Police caution as Donovan cuffed him.

"You do not have to say anything but it may harm your defence if you do not mention, when questioned, something which you later rely on in court. Anything you do say may be given in evidence." Dimmock said before Donovan started leading him down. Sherlock grabbed John's coat and met him at the bottom of the stairs and the two headed in a taxi to the station.

McFarlane was placed in an interview room. Sherlock and John were in an adjacent room with a two way mirror between them and the suspect but there was a microphone with which Sherlock could use if he had any questions. Donovan was hesitant to show him but knew that they best play nice should they need him in the future on a case. Dimmock sat opposite of McFarlane while Donovan sat on the edge of the table.

"OK talk" Dimmock said

"I live in Claygate near the Torrington Lodge car park with my parents, but last night, having to do business very late with Mr. Jonas Oldacre, Enroute home I found that the track for the second leg of my journey home was closed at Waterloo, normally I drive but took the train in as my mother needed to borrow my car. Exhausted from the long night and not really wanting to wave down a taxi I took a room at the Walrus Bar and Hostel on Lower Marsh. I paid in cash, and came to my business from there. I knew nothing of this affair until I was in the train, when I read about my implications in the paper"

Sherlock hit the microphone button and spoke "What was in this morning's paper Dimmock?"

Dimmock turned to face the mirror "We just put in a simple release that Mr. Oldacre was found dead and that a piece of evidence that was left behind pointed to out killer"

"And what was that evidence?" Sherlock asked.

"My cane" McFarlane answered, "I don't always need it and hadn't noticed it missing till this morning when I woke up stiff. I was going to call Mr. Oldacre when I got to the office"

Sherlock nodded and again spoke into the microphone "Continue"

Dimmock pursed his lips in a frown and turned to face McFarlane "Please proceed"

"I knew what trouble I could be in and I hurried to put the case into your hands Mr. Holmes I know you stay fair and objective and look for the clues others do not see. I had no doubt that I should be arrested either at my city office or at my home."

"Well you are arrested now so let's get on with it how did you know Mr. Oldacre?" Dimmock asked

"I must explain first," McFarlane said, "that I knew nothing of Mr. Jonas Oldacre. I mean I know my parents knew him once upon a time but I had never even met the guy until 3pm yesterday. He shows up at my office in Kingston upon Thames with a whole stack of papers and says he wants me to create a will for him… to write it out and have it in proper order as soon as possible. And to top it all off he wants to name me as benefactor. Said that through my parents I deserved it. He owns a large building and woodworking company as well as many properties so he said it would be substantial inheritance. I declined but he insisted I said I should bring one of my colleagues in and he said no as a private man he wanted this done privately so I agreed. OH how I wish I hadn't. It was getting late and I don't have keys to the office so Mr. Oldacre offed me a ride to his house in Norwood, a nice little house on the corner of Knight's Hill and Darlington Road a converted semidetached house made into one house. And He was insistent that I not tell May parents. And when we got there she"

"Who" Sherlock asked though the com system again

"His housekeeper, Mrs. Lexington" McFarlane said before taking a sip of water. "she took me into the dining room where she had laid out a moderate supper, some meat, cheeses and breads with some wine. When we were done We went to his study and to his study. He had this huge heavy safe practically a vault in the corner. Inside were just this massive pile of papers, he has al theses plots of land all over England and into France. We talked till past midnight. When we were done He didn't want me to wake the housekeeper so he let me out thought the patio doors of his room, and I told you I took the bus to Waterloo station only to find the track closed and my train cancelled."

Sherlock hit the buzzer again

"The patio doors were they open this entire time?" He asked

"Yes" McFarlane answered

Sherlock just nodded.

"Anything more that you would like to ask, Freak?" Donovan asked as she stood and stared at the mirror.

"Not until I have been to Claygate." He replied

"You mean to Norwood," said Dimmock.

"Hmmm yes" Sherlock smirked as the headed out of the viewing room and down the hall leaving John to watch.

"Guess I'll be heading back to Alice" John sighed and started to leave.

He met up with Sherlock outside the Scotland Yard building hailing a cab.

"Ah John you've caught up… Good. You can come with me to Claygate" Sherlock said as a taxi pulled up.

"Why are we going to Claygate when the crime happened in Norwood?" John asked as they got in and the taxi sped off.

"We mustn't leave any possible clues left unfound." Sherlock said "So we will go to Claygate and speak with Mr. McFarlane's parents."

John just nodded and watched the passing scenery.

They pulled up in front of the house on Hare Lane and Sherlock headed straight for the door.

He knocked, a few minutes later a disheveled crying woman answered

"We don't want any more press around here" She sniffled out.

"Not the press madam, My name is Sherlock Holmes I am a consulting detective for the New Scotland Yard and your son has wished for me to pursue his case to prove his innocence" Sherlock said with a soft smile.

"I told the other detectives my son text his father last night to say the train line was down and that he was staying at a hostel near the station." Sher said as she led them into the very floral sitting room. John had to hide back a smile as Sherlock squeaked as he sat the furniture all had plastic slip covers on them. John carefully sat so as to avoid the squeak

"Do you know a Mr. Jonas Oldacre? Sherlock asked once Mrs. McFarlane was sitting. And Her Husband came to join them

"I do, We dated when we were younger" Mrs. McFarlane answered. "He used to be part of our circle of friends in our teen year and a little into college as well. He proposed to me one. I had the right mind and the forethought to say no. The man was not right. He let a cat loose in an aviary, and just did the most weird and practically horrific things. I married for love on my wedding day, Oldacre sent me a photo of myself and my husband; he had cut it up and drawn all over it with a red marker. The letter said he was cursing the day we were married. Never spoke to him ever again"

She wiped her eyes

"So why would he show up at your sons office asking him to draft a will and in the will name your son as the sole benefactor?" Sherlock asked

"I, I don't know" Mrs. McFarlane replied "Neither my son, my husband nor I ever want anything to do with Oldacre dead or alive!" She said with conviction. "And my son is so meek and shy; he would never hurt anyone, what evidence to the police have?"

"I cannot answer that I am afraid" Sherlock said "May I ask why your son is in need of a cane but not at all times?"

"He's in progression to crutches eventually a wheel chair, he has muscular dystrophy, it's a recent diagnosis, but he's been in therapy and his leg muscles are retaining some strength. The cane is for extra help, but we know the therapy is not a cure, but it is helping for now." Mr. McFarlane answered speaking for the first time. "The early papers said that Oldacre was beaten, my son doesn't have that in him"

Sherlock just nodded

"We will be in touch" he said standing

"Thank you Mr. Holmes" Mrs. McFarlane said as she walked the two men to the door.

Sherlock gave a small taught smile and he and John headed to the waiting taxi.

"So off to Norwood now?" John asked.

"Yes. I've called you another taxi you should go home to Alice it's almost her bath time, she prefers getting one from you, you're better at bubbles" Sherlock said getting in the cab and heading off as a new taxi pulled up

John's phone trilled for a text

Don't worry

Not going alone

Texted Donovan

To meet me there

John sighed and got in his taxi to head back to Baker Street.

Sherlock headed to the house on Knight's Hill, There was still police crime scene tape up and a constable standing guard. Sherlock walked the ground and studied the remains from the fire that the body was disposed of. There were only one set of footprints leading to and from the fire. The wood pile in the corner along with some old fabric must have been used to start it. The fire hall was just across the street, the notes Dimmock had let Sherlock see said that by the time the fire department got there, there was nothing left in the fire but some ash and a button off a jacket. With these houses in such close proximity to each other and the fire department across the street how would it burn hot enough in a short time to not leave any remains?

The fire at the hospital burned for over two hours and in some wings left nothing but ash. Of course some accelerants had been used, from the smell of the ashes that remained there were no accelerants used on this fire.

How then were they sure that it was Oldacre in the fire?

Sherlock walked past the patio windows. They overlooked the back garden and the laneway which was a walking path. Anyone could have been wandering down that street and heard Oldacre boasting about his wealth.

The constable allowed Sherlock into the house. The one three separate houses were now converted into one luxurious house in the middle of Norwood. Sherlock wandered into the study the walls were drenched with blood. McFarlane's Cane was in evidence it too covered in blood.

Sherlock took out his mobile and sent a text to molly.

Oldacre case

Blood from bedroom

Match?

~S

Shortly after molly replied

Haven't tested yet

Dimmock said was open shut case

Will test now

~Molly

Sherlock put his phone away and began to look closer at the walls. There were no bloody foot prints. Not even any finger prints left in blood, the blood on the walls was odd to. It wasn't splatter, it was smeared.

Sherlock frowned then began to wander the house again all under the watchful eye on the constable.

His phone beeped.

The blood isn't human

It's bovine

And old

Like from a butcher shop

~Molly

Sherlock text Dimmock and Donovan to meet him at once at Knights Hill before heading out into the back garden, he began to move some of the wood and fabric from the wood pile over near the far end of the garden by the small shed.

"What are you doing?" The constable asked

"Getting ready for a little demonstration for when the others arrive" Sherlock smiled.

The constable looked worried but said nothing as he just watched Sherlock make his pile.

Dimmock and Donovan arrived in a timely manner.

"What are you up to freak?" Donovan asked eying the pile

"Setting an innocent man free" Sherlock said tossing a lighter into the pile.

The Fabric caught fire first and soon the wood was burning too. The smoke drifted over to the shed.

Donovan was just about to tell the constable to put it out when a man burst out of side door of the shed with a fire extinguisher. He doused the fire then stood to look at the four people in front of him.

"Dimmock, Donovan, and Constable I present to you Mr. Jonas Oldacre" Sherlock smiled smugly. As the constable held the newly appeared man

"How?" Donovan started to ask.

"At first I thought perhaps it was a transient or a person walking by that may have overheard Mr. Oldacre and Mr. McFarlane's conversation and taken advantage of the moment to rob and kill Mr. Oldacre. But after visiting Mr. McFarlane's parents in Claygate I was doubting that. I feared that perhaps McFarlane was to blame. Still I needed to see the crime scene. The fire out back was large but with the Fire Department across the street it and their response time the fire did not have enough time to fully burn a body and leave no trace. The study showed me that the blood on the walls was not splatter from a beating, I have done many experiments in regards to spatter and never has it looked like it did in the study, it was smeared on. I find it quite unimpressive that you were so cock sure of McFarlane's guilt that you never had Molly run the blood. If you did you would have learned it was bovine, most likely from a butcher. That is why it wasn't splattered but rather smeared on the walls and on the cane. Did you even life any prints from the blood on there? No didn't think so. From the study I began to wander the halls again. This is a converted house lots of renovation's done. That is when I noticed that the hall down on the main floor is a good two feet shorter than the hall on the upper level. Why? Well the shed seems to lean awfully close to the house for such a large garden, and the shed its self is rather large and has not only power lines running into it but a satellite as well. No body no blood and a nice little hiding hole to pass time in. Mr. Oldacre was determined to hide it out and wait till McFarlane was tried all the assets would then pass over to a holding company of which Mr. Oldacre has access to."

"But why?" Dimmock asked

"You would have known this if you had actually talked to McFarlane's parents instead of just harassing them looking for their son. Mr. Oldacre is a former suitor of McFarlane's mother. He was quite upset when she did not choose him as her husband; he sent horrible pictures to the McFarlane's on their wedding day. But why wait till now to enact revenge. Again if you had bothered to even search for clues at in Claygate you would have seen the framed letter stating that one John Hector McFarlane received a new appointment as junior partner at his law firm in Kingston upon Thames. There was also a small news article attached one that ran in the Times I believe it was last Thursday. What better to get back at a woman who scorned him then to ruin the life of her very successful but ill son. McFarlane is working hard to make partner before the effects of Muscular Dystrophy take full control of him, which also was a large clue that McFarlane could not have beaten Mr. Oldacre. He wouldn't have had the strength." Sherlock finished as the constable cuffed Oldacre

"It was just a joke I was just playing with the kid, embarrassing him like his mother embarrassed me" Oldacre said

"Now, now Mr. Oldacre, don't talk too much Detective Inspector Dimmock hasn't read you the caution yet" Sherlock said removing his phone from his pocket.

Dimmock went over to Oldacre and read him the caution before Donovan led Oldacre to the waiting car.

"I won't be telling Lestrade about this upon his return" Sherlock smiled as he and Dimmock walked to the front of the house "I'll leave that up to you. Also I'm sure your bosses will not be too pleased about your lack of following up on evidence, though I guess this could be a lesson in not being so overly confident in your interpretation of the evidence"

"Like you aren't" Dimmock interjected

"I have confidence because I take the time to make sure my analysis is correct. I don't jump to conclusions I let the evidence and my observations form the solutions for me." Sherlock adjusted his collar as the taxi pulled up. "Call if you need me before your boss returns from his vacation" He said with a cocky grin before getting in the car and leaving.

Dimmock fumed as the taxi drove away

"I hate him" He said to the disappearing cab "And I hate how we need him half the time."

"He's gotten worse since Lestrade started dating his sister, feels he has more protection" Donovan said as she and Dimmock got in the car to head back to the office.

"Well he does, and the boss does too, from what you said of the oldest Holmes brother. But as much as I hate him Sherlock helps a lot. Could you imagine if he used his powers for evil instead of for good?" Dimmock asked as they turned onto Christchurch road.

"See that's why we though some years ago that he made up Moriarty. But we know that wasn't true." Donovan said

"Jim Moriarty" that's the one who held Sherlock's sister for so long right?" Dimmock asked

"Yeah, for quite a few years, really messed with her mind. Boss said it made her a whole different person. He knew her before all that, they were close. Guess they are close again" Donovan answered.

"Yeah"

Sherlock paid and exited the cab. He looked the knocker was straight, but there was no black car around.. Sherlock went inside he heard Miss Hudson in the kitchen singing. He peeked into see her rocking Alice and singing while feeding her.

"Oh Hello Sherlock she's all bathed and just getting ready for bed" Mrs. Hudson said standing

"Where's John?"

"Is he not still with you?" Mrs. Hudson asked

"I sent him home to give Alice her bath" Sherlock said removing his mobile and texting John.

Where are you

~S

His phone dinged

He's with us darling

You should come and get him

Alone

~MW

Sherlock slammed his phone into his pocket.

"I am sorry Mrs. Hudson, could I trouble you to look after Alice for a bit longer, You can use my rooms if it is more convenient" Sherlock said texting Mycroft

They have John

~S

"Is everything alright dear, should we call Greg?" Mrs. Hudson asked

"It will be, and don't worry or bother Willa and Gavin, I will enlist Mycroft" Sherlock said as his phone moaned again

Diogenes

Strangers room

~M

Sherlock kissed Alice on the forehead and was back out the door; Mycroft already had a car waiting.

The ride to the Diogenes club was short in distance but any time waiting was too long for Sherlock. He exited the car and headed to the room which Mycroft had made his office.

"Moriarty, Moran, Victor, and Mary have John, I don't want to ruin our sister's weekend but if you could get some men on her and Gary to watch them we can proceed with rescuing John" Sherlock said as he entered.

"I'm afraid it's too late for that. I received a text as well. Willa and Lestrade are already in the company of our antagonists."

Sherlock scowled.

"Retribution for her turning and escaping I guess." Mycroft said sitting back in his chair.

"You don't think they will try to reprogram her do you?" Sherlock said pacing

"That may be their exact desire, why else grab Gregory again?" Mycroft said as Anthea entered with a file

"We were able to track them." She said setting down the folder "They are in an abandoned factory on Harlequin Avenue, Bretford"

"What are we waiting for?" Sherlock said leaving the room and heading to grab a cab.

Mycroft sighed

"It's a dead end they led us on. Let's keep looking and we can send a car to pick up Sherlock on our way to the real location" Mycroft said picking up the folder.

"The car is still there though, it may just be Willa and Gregory there we haven't been able to get a lead on the car that John was in" Anthea said tapping away at her Blackberry. "I'm sending a team to make sure Sherlock is alright, they may still be at the factory, I haven't seen any cars leave there, but we know that means nothing."

Mycroft nodded and started going over the file.

Sherlock exited the taxi at the end on the street and headed to the factory, the for lease sign still hung in its window. He checked for signs of cameras and though he saw none he still stayed well in the shadows that were forming in the early evening. There were a few cars parked in front and a large van behind. Carefully he picked the lock on the side door and slid inside. The building had once been used to fix and build cars; the hydraulic lifts still lined the walls of the room Sherlock had entered into.

He heard voices at the end near the offices.

As he moved closer he passed their painting bay, a closed off area where cars could be spray painted and detailed He saw Willa sitting alone on the back wall.

He quickly opened the door and went in

"Willa?" He asked "Are you alright"

"She's just fine Sherlock" A smooth sultry male voice came over the intercom as the doors of the bay latched shut.

"Hello Victor" Sherlock replied

"I've missed you Sherlock" Victor said as Willa just tried to curl up in the corner "See we left that poetry book and good job fixing all that, though I do miss what she used to do for me when I recited that one Erotic passage" Victor laughed

Sherlock kept his eyes on Willa

"You shouldn't have come." She said through tears.

"But we used a lot of different techniques on you didn't we our sweet pet" Victor laughed. His tone changed to monotone as he repeated "Diamond, Canary, Furnace, Eleven, Bustle, Soldier, winter, Barnes, Red, Nine"

Willa straightened her eyes hard

"Are you ready our Pet" Victor asked

"Yes my Prince" Willa replied

"Sherlock you may have committed those words to memory but be assured, Mycroft, Greg, John or yourself will not be able to un-program her, I've made sure of that." Victor laughed "Now Willa our pet, WE don't want him dead but we want him hurting, do your worst"

Willa grabbed a chain from the wall and swung it out at Sherlock.

"Willa please stop, I will not fight you, I can't hurt you or your child" Sherlock tried to pleaded with his sister, Greg and John had got though before maybe he could.

Willa swung the chain again wrapping it around Sherlock's arm and pulling him closer. Every hit she threw he deflected. Defense not offence.

Victor watched for a bit then his phone vibrated.

He headed down the hall to the lunch room where Greg and John were tied up on tables. Each had an IV running to them. It was one of Victor's new concoctions, not for mind control but more for pain, not while using, while using it made you felt fine, calm and relaxed, but in withdrawal, every nerve ending would be firing and raw, the pain was intense, in his tests with mice, one had actually died from the pain, he was very eager to see how this fist human trial would pan out.

Victor stood over John. He ran his hand down his face before leaning in and kissing him

"You better watch yourself Victor" Mary said entering "That's my ex-husband and Jim's new pet that you are kissing"

"Jim's new pet?" Victor asked "I thought he was going to work breaking the Inspector?"

"He is" Mary smiled "John will be a different Pet, you should see the collar he bought him" Mary smiled

John just looked at the two eyes half hooded, he heard every word they said but he couldn't react, his body was just too calm.

"How does Sebastian feel about that?" Victor asked as he moved over to Greg and ran his hand over the man's torso

"Sebastian is ecstatic, Jim always promised him a pet" Mary smiled

"What has he promised you?" Victor asked as he slid his had between Greg's leg, he liked him; he was strong, and well endowed.

"I get to help kill Sherlock, then Willa" Mary smiled.

"Good, I want the silver fox" Victor smiled

"Sebastian has plans for him" Mary replied stepping forward.

"Well I want something out of this too" Victor said moving his hand up to Greg's chest "Even if I just have him part time, Sebby can use him the rest of the time."

"Excuse me but only I can call my Sebby, Sebby!" Moriarty said entering "I have paid you a great monetary remittance already with more to come at jobs end; we never discussed a living payment"

"I didn't know it was an option" Victor replied

"If you want you can have Willa" Moriarty replied

"And what would I want with a woman?" Victor replied "They give me no pleasure"

"Detective Inspector Lestrade is to be reprogramed to become our man on the inside, if he's suddenly moving in with you a now wanted man, how will that look?" Moriarty asked.

"Who said anything about moving in, I just want to have a little fun with him, see how his stamina is, I hear these silver foxes are like marathon runners in bed sometimes" Victor gave a wicked smile.

"Fine you can have him ONCE before we start" Moriarty said Victor nodded as Sebastian entered "She done yet?" Moriarty asked

"She's wearing him down" Moran replied "He's not putting up much of a fight"

"Guess he doesn't want to hurt the baby." Moriarty remarked

"Baby?" Mary asked turning around "Willa is pregnant?"

"Yeah" was all Moriarty said

"That's an innocent child in there, Jim, and you drugged her again" Mary glared

"Yeah" Moriarty said with a sort of squished up whatever look on his face.

"I didn't sign up for harming an unborn child" Mary said raising her voice.

"Why it's not like it's a person yet, she's like two months along, it's an inch long" Moriarty smiled, Sebastian laughed.

"It's a fetus it's a living person, it has tissue and its bones are starting to develop its ears are forming as are its organs" Mary argued

"Wow carrying around the spawn of Watson really changed you Mary." Sebastian said coming closer "Where's that killer instinct?"

"I never hurt children" Mary said pinning Sebastian against the wall "Just because I am a killer and just because I could snap your neck before your Jimmy could react does not mean that I will kill an unborn child" Mary said though gritted teeth.

"Down girl" Moriarty laughed "We can always hold her till it's born. Lot we could do with a pregnant lady"

Mary let Sebastian go and walked off towards the office.

"Sebastian my love, please keep an eye on her" Moriarty said before turning to John. "Hello Johnny boy, I bought you something" he continued as he leaned forward and attached the red leather collar with the ring in the front "Do you like it Johnny Boy, I got it from my favorite little fetish shop in the village"

John just tried his best to glare but his muscles were so relaxed they would not comply.

"You rest up Johnny Boy, soon, soon we'll have some fun."

Moriarty leaned in and kissed John's neck before heading back to the painting bay.

Sherlock leaned in the corner, his vision was starting to blur and he wasn't sure if it was from blood loss, exhaustion or a head injury. Willa was pacing the other side of the room.

She too was tired and but this was not like what John and Lestrade had described, this was not wearing off with tiredness. She twirled the chain in her hand again and limped forward. All Sherlock could think was how sore she was going to be with all this movement without her cane.

As Willa swung the chain down on Sherlock's shoulder, the intercom, crackled to life.

"Sherlock" Mary's voice said over the intercom

"I'm in no mood to deal with you" Sherlock said grabbing the chain from Willa perhaps he could tie her up.

"I need the words" Mary said urgently

"What"

"I need the words for the Monarch Mind Control Moriarty is using on Willa. I have occupied them for now but I don't have much time, I need to words to undo all this." Mary said in a hurried tone

"And Why should I trust you, we did before and I got shot for my effort" Sherlock said as Willa's fist connected with his side

"I am a terrible, terrible person yes, but I didn't know Willa was pregnant. No innocent small life should be involved in all this" Mary said

Sherlock sighed. He had nothing to lose really

"Diamond, Canary, Furnace, Eleven, Bustle, Soldier, winter, Barnes, Red, Nine" She replied "Got that"

"Yes. Pet stand down" Mary said

Willa stopped and went to stand in the corner she was in when Sherlock first arrive.

"Pet you will listen to the words and when I am done you will forget them any that have been implanted, you will never act like this again, you will be normal, DO you understand pet?" Mary asked

"Yes mistress" Willa replied

"Diamond, Canary, Furnace, Eleven, Bustle, Soldier, winter, Barnes, Red, Nine" Mary recited at a steady pace.

Willa's body relaxed and she near collapsed in the corner.

Mary repeated the words again but nothing happened.

"Moriarty will no longer have control over her ever again Sherlock. Any imbedded words, poems, phrase whatever has been forgotten, it's a defect of the Monarch system, it's easier to remove then the other strictly drug induced one she was on" Mary said as she tried to find the controls to open the bay.

"You'd make a good Bond Villain" Moriarty's voice could be heard over the intercom he was now in the control room with Mary "Telling the Hero your plan giving them a chance to escape. A bond girl, who has a heart of gold after all, saving the poor innocent fetus. I knew you're worth was over the first time we got John"

A shot rang out and a gasp from Mary

"You hear that East Wind Mary, calling, The wind whispers Mary" Moriarty almost sang, "Well another henchman… well woman down, first you took Willa now you made me loose Mary, and well Willa again. If I didn't hate you already I would REALLY hate you Sherlock"

"Well that sentiment is mutual" Sherlock replied

"I often wonder how you did it Sherlock, because you even fooled my spotters, you fooled them enough that they called off Sebastian Mary and Willa from their Targets, You didn't know that did you, my assassins that were following your dear friends and your lover are all in this building, Mary was on Mrs. Hudson, Willa on Greg and Sebastian, he was on John, he was really hopping to shoot John" Moriarty smiled.

Sherlock watched him in the control room pacing back and forward, haphazardly playing with the gun in his hand

"She ruined my fun Sherlock, I was going to have Willa kill you…. Eventually, but now… I'll just have to kill both of you myself. Then again, Sebastian and I used to have so much fun with Willa when we were in France. I wonder Gregory appreciates her talents in the bedroom as much as Sebastian and I did. If we were to let her and Gregory live, I wonder if he would love his child the way Sebastian and I love the child Willa bore us"

Sherlock glared.

"Oh look trying to be all tough thought the blood and the bruises" Moriarty laughed.

Willa stood

"She's alive?" She asked rather angrily though her exhaustion "My Stevie is alive! WHERE IS SHE?"

"She's safe, did you want to see her, she misses her momma" Moriarty laughed

"Is she here in this building?" Willa asked as Moriarty typed away at his cell phone. The gun dangling on his index finger as his thumbs tapped away on the device.

"Answer me!" She demanded standing in front of the control booth and slamming the chain against the glass causing it to crack

"Temper, Temper Willa, what kind of an example do you want to set?" Moriarty said as the doors to the bay unlocked.

Sebastian entered carrying a child about two years old

"Momma!" She exclaimed as Sebastian set her down and she toddled over to Willa "You owie"

"I'm ok my little bug" Willa said hugging the child close

The little one snuggled into Willa tight.

"Why did you tell me she died?" Willa asked standing still holding the child tight "Why did you make me believe that she had drown"

"Honestly" Moriarty replied "It was easier to control you when you thought you had nothing. She lives with my aunt in Leeds, Sebby's not one for kids, me I do like them, but I like them older, able to do more, at this age really they are kind of useless"

"Then let me take care of her" Willa said

Sherlock watched the scene before him. Willa begging Moriarty to let her and the young child go. The child, named Stevie if Sherlock was hearing correctly, was born a few months after Sherlock had faked his death, which meant Moriarty had been drugging her and using her while she was pregnant, After Moriarty faked his death he moved Willa back to France.

They were saying something about a picnic and a pond Victor, Moriarty and Willa, Mary wasn't there at the time she was back here with John. That was just around five months ago when Sherlock was due to going into his exile.

That's why Moriarty faked the child's death by drowning; Willa had nothing to lose so she was more easily used in the manipulation to injure John and Greg. She believed she had already failed as a parent, as a person so she had nothing to more to lose.

Neither Sherlock nor Willa had noticed that Sebastian had left until he reentered with Greg, the IVs were gone but the hold of the drugs still gripped him.

"Now Willa, You have a dilemma, I don't really want to kill our daughter, I do have this sort of love for her, Sebastian really could care less though, he's not really a kid's person. I did have a plan for Gregory but I can always find another pawn someone a little more weak minded. So make your choice, who do I let go?" Moriarty smirked

"Greg and Stevie" Willa answered without hesitation.

Moriarty nodded.

"Sebastian my love, Shoot Greg somewhere painful then drop him and the brat off somewhere not obvious but not hidden so that Mycroft will eventually find him before he bleeds out or before that painful withdrawal starts." Moriarty ordered, Sebastian took his gun and fired into Greg's stomach.

Sherlock found himself shouting No along with Willa.

Sebastian let go of Greg and sent him crashing to the ground.

Stevie was crying.

Sherlock tried to get up and move forward but his mind was getting fuzzier and his body was not listening to it.

Sebastian tore Stevie out of Willa's arm and dragged the crying child out of the room as two goons entered and started to drag Greg out. Moriarty entered and grabbed Willa's arm and began to pull her out of the room. Sherlock pushed himself off the wall and tried to lunge forward.

There was a sting in his upper leg and he fell forward on the bay floor, he heard voices but the world around him was getting fuzzier and darker.


	4. Chapter 4

There was beeping, not a phone, not an alarm, not a vehicle backing up, a soft steady beep, a heartbeat. Sherlock kept his eyes shut just listening to the noises around him. There were two beeps, two heart monitors; There was a soft flow of air too, a ventilator. Sherlock's tongue swept his mouth, there was no tube down his throat and he could feel no mask on his face, which meant there was someone near him who was also on a heart monitor and along with a ventilator.

Sherlock started moving his extremities. His toes wiggled, his left leg was sore but his right leg was almost numb, and it was heavy. His arms were sore, one was also quite heavy, a cast perhaps, he wiggled his fingers, yes, from the palm of his hand to just above his elbow. His other arm was the one that had the IVs the little heart monitor on his finger and something else in it, something small.

Sherlock opened his eyes to see Anthea sitting beside, the child, Stevie, was on her lap, curled up and sleeping, her one little had reaching out holding Sherlock's hand. On the other side of Sherlock, Greg was in a bed, he was quite pale, he was the one on the ventilator, and he had a drainage tube coming out from under his gown down near his stomach. There were a few units of blood hanging on his IV pole too.

"Hello Sherlock" Anthea said as Sherlock started studying himself. He was quite covered in bruises and cuts, he did indeed have a cast on his left arm and his right leg was in traction. "You were shot point blank in the thigh, the bullet nicked your femoral artery and fractured your femur, we got there in just enough time, this little one led us to you. She said her name is Stevie, she was looking for her momma."

"Did you not find John and Willa?" Sherlock croaked out his throat was so dry.

"All we found was you in the painting bay, slowly bleeding out, Mary was in the control room, it was too late for her, and Victor was in the office, it was also too late for him. We didn't find anyone else. Greg and Stevie were found by a night manager at the Tesco's a few streets over. Our Team had been delayed getting into place to follow you so to a massive operation wide electrical glitch."

"Moriarty has someone on the inside, I heard him talking to Willa, They are employing Victor's creations with different mind control methods to get people inside strategic places, at one time they planned to use Lestrade that way, till he and Willa made a deal." Sherlock said as he tried to sit.

"You need to lay back, they really did a number on you, besides your leg, your arm was broken in two places, you collar bone too, several broken ribs a concussion and a lot of nasty bruises.. Who did this? Victor, Sebastian?" Anthea asked getting him settled again.

"Willa." Sherlock replied before explaining. He looked at Stevie "Did you know she's Willa's daughter?"

Anthea looked at the child shocked "No"

"She is." Sherlock explained "She chose for Greg and Stevie to be set free, Moriarty's condition though was to injure Greg"

"Between the drugs and the bullet Gregory has been in quite a bit of pain" Anthea said "and this little one has not wanted to leave either of you. I spend my days going between the beds so she can hold your hands."

"Days?" Sherlock asked wrinkling his nose

"You've been out for just over a week" Anthea replied

"And you still haven't found John or Willa!?" Sherlock raised his voice and tried to sit up again

"Mycroft and a small team is on it, as you said Moriarty has someone on the inside, we have three we know we can trust and they are working with Mycroft to find them, there is one other we can trust and he is working on sorting out who the implanted person is, who Moriarty got to" Anthea said as Stevie stirred. "It's almost lunch she's probably hungry" Anthea hit the call button as Stevie awoke and stretched. "Hello little one"

"Hi." She replied looking up to see that Sherlock was awake "Hi Slock she smiled"

"Hello little bug" He smiled

"NO," Stevie said hand up "only momma bug"

"AH I am sorry I was not aware only you mother could call you her bug, May I call you Sweetie"

Stevie nodded then climbed up to stand on Anthea's lap to look over her shoulder

"I sit Geg now" She said as she started to climb off Anthea.

"That is you daddy over there" Sherlock said. Stevie turned and looked at Sherlock with a puzzled look then smiled

"I sit da now" She said climbing down and going over and trying to climb on the bed. Anthea moved her chair and pulled her up on her lap.

"No he's very sore we can't climb on him" Anthea said

Stevie instead took his hand

"Was it wise to tell her that, Greg wakes and she calls him dad" Anthea said

"Willa kept nothing from him, he knows, probably seen a picture... I know what's in that locket of hers around her neck now" Sherlock smiled. Anthea nodded.

Moriarty sat at the head of the long table. Willa was next to him to his right and Sebastian across from her. John was on the floor between Sebastian and Moriarty. His collar now had a leash on it which was draped over the back of Moriarty's chair. John wore only a pair of small shorts and a tight tank top. He was on his knees looking at the floor.

Moriarty had coaxed John thought the painful withdrawal of Victor's drugs but that didn't endear John to Him. No he would have to slowly break him. A small box had been affixed to John's collar, turning the collar into a shock collar. It varied in intensity depending on their mood. Just short burst not enough to do permanent damage but enough to hurt.

It was how Moriarty was controlling Willa as well, and that was how it worked. If John didn't listen or respond in a manner Sebastian or Moriarty liked Willa would get shocked, If Willa did something to displease them John would get shocked. So they did what they were told to do. Not that it stopped Sebastian, if he was bored he would shock them anyway.

"This dinner is amazing Willa, I didn't know you had learned to cook Chinese?" Sebastian smirked.

Willa just nodded and finished what was on her plate. The stir fry wasn't that hard, it was one of Greg's favorites so she made it often.

"Did you want some pet?" Sebastian said dangling some noodles in front of John.

"Sebby my love, no feeding the pet from the table, Willa will feed him what is left later" Moriarty said.

"Yeah it's not like he's begging, he should learn to beg" Sebastian said ruffling John's hair. John just still stared at the ground. He didn't dare lift his eyes. Sebastian laughed.

After the two men were done, Willa cleared the table and headed to the kitchen. As she took in the last dish Moriarty gave her the leash.

"Feed him then get him prepared for tonight" He said leaning into Willa's ear and nipping at her neck.

"Yes Sir" Willa said taking the leash and leading John into the kitchen. She helped him onto the chair and handed him a bowl of noodles she had kept aside for him. John ate as Willa loaded the dishwasher, neither spoke, they knew there was a camera in the room and even if there wasn't a microphone they dared not risk having their lips read.

After he was done Willa took his bowl and then knelt to check his legs, he had been on his knees all day and she knew they must be stiff.

"You shouldn't kneel" John softly said breaking their no speaking rule "You're limping worse than ever, you should ask for you cane, soon your hips will be under enough pressure with the baby they don't need the aggravation now"

"I'm fine" Willa said massaging his legs.

"You were throwing up a lot this morning" John said feeling her forehead, she was warm.

"Morning sickness" Willa said standing and helping John to his knees, she looked at the clock and led John to his room. He got on the bed and she did up the handcuffs and leg shackles. "I'll be fine John; I've been through this before" She gave a small smile and left.

John knew she was going back to her room. It was nice; he'd crawled past it a few days ago. Even with the shock collar and the drugs, they were letting Willa have a bit more freedom. She had a giant ensuite room in this giant house they were in, up in Scotland John was thinking. And was allowed to wander the house at leisure, She mostly kept to her room and the library.

John on the other hand was only allowed to go where Sebastian and Moriarty wanted him to go.

The rest of the time he was chained up in the small bedroom that Moriarty had turned into his own private pleasure room.

Moriarty was not as hands on as John expected, he preferred to sit against the back wall mostly in the dark and watch Moran work.

Moran was rough, Not that John didn't like it a little rough every once in a while, but Moran was out to hurt, not in a pleasurable way, well not for John that is. Sebastian was a sadistic man who loved hurting people to get off. Moriarty would just sit in the chair watching, once Sebastian was done he'd come over and curl with John, he'd tell him how he would take care of him and how as a master he was both capable of giving love and being loved. He usually pleasured John by hand.

Tonight was different. Only Moriarty entered the room. John was always cuffed lying on his stomach to start then once they were done they would undo the cuff then turn him onto his back.

Moriarty wore only a dressing gown.

"Sebby has had his fill of you, for now, tonight, you are all mine." Moriarty said as he climbed onto the bed and straddled John. He started by giving him a massage, which was pleasantly soothing.

This is the part where he acts nice, John though, a week of Sebastian's roughness, now he come in playing the nice captor to the bad captor and I'm supposed to just fall for him, be his pet.

John closed his eyes and though of anything he could to take him away from the present.

He thought of Sherlock, he thought of Alice, of Willa. He thought of summers in Blackpool on the beach with Harry staying out all night not being missed because their parents were in the bars and casinos carousing with the locals and spending their money on liquor and games of chance. His mind flashed back to Afghanistan, to the day of the raid.

No, no, no this is not where he wanted his memories to take him, This was not a place he ever wanted to return. His body tensed as the panic shot though him.

"Oh Johnny Boy, Whatever you are doing keep going" Moriarty moaned as he thrust again. He dug his fingers into John's hips and help tights.

John was not in the room. His body may be but his mind and all his emotions were back on that battlefield.

He fought against his restraints as his memories found himself fighting the soldiers of the Taliban that were surrounding the team.

Moriarty practically gave a primitive howl as John's muscles tightened around his penetrated cock trapping it in its crushing clench.

Moriarty forcefully pulled himself out then pushed his way back in. It elicited a whimper from John and caused a pleasurable amount of pain through Moriarty's cock.

While Sebastian was the Sadistic one. Moriarty was a Sadomasochistic himself enjoying pleasure for injuries both caused and received.

And right now as Moriarty forced himself into the clenched asshole of John he felt pleasure like he had never felt before.

Another hard thrust drove his cock into John's prostate causing the chained man to cum.

"What's wrong Johnny Boy? You expended quickly tonight. Got a little too hot to fast I think hey Johnny boy?" Moriarty said as he felt John relax under him. A final thrust had Moriarty cuming inside John before lying back against the footboard "that was amazing Johnny boy. You're going to remember what you did so we can repeat it." Moriarty said standing. He wrapped his dressing gone around him and headed to the hallway stopping to knock on Willa's door. "Willa be a dear and clean John up. We got a little extra rough so be sure to be gentle with is bottom."

"Yes Sir." Willa said from beyond the door. Moriarty could hear her shuffling to the door as he left.

Willa exited her room and watched Moriarty head down the hall into his and Sebastian's room.

Willa went and gathered her stuff from the washroom, making sure the water in the basin wasn't too hot and headed to John's room.

John was face down on the bed shivering; Willa put her basket and basin down and knelt by the bed.

"John" She cautiously asked.

He flinched and mumbled about the attack.

"John, open your eyes" Willa said caressing his face, "It's August 19th 2017. You are in Dolguldur Manor. Just west of Bawnboy, Ireland. It belongs to Moriarty's family, they bought me here once just after basic training. It was lovely vacation with two men who I thought were my friends who turned out to be psychopaths"

"not sociopaths" John mumbled

"No we did our research" Willa couldn't help but smile as John gave a small grin, "Sherlock and Greg are injured but Mycroft and Anthea will come find us." Willa said as she started to wash John, he winced as her hands ran over his hips. "Sorry" She said

"Just leave me" John said hiding his face in the pillow and trying to move away as Willa started cleaning below his hips.

"I know this is hard for you John but I have to, If I don't do my job, we will both pay the price" Willa said as she gently cleaned him.

"Did he do this to you?" John asked.

"Yes, he and Victor, In France. Victor doesn't like women, gets no pleasure out of it, but He still did what Moriarty told him to do." Willa said as she inspected the bruising.

"Moriarty was using Victor too?"

"Not with drugs or mind control but with power, and the promise of getting Sherlock. So Victor would do what he was asked, he didn't get pleasure in the sex, but he did get it out of the control. Moriarty thinks Stevie is his, she's not, the timelines don't add up. She was conceived while he was here, that makes Stevie Victor's, but when she was born he swore that she looked like him, she looks like me. Thank god for that" Willa carefully stood and got John lying on his back again taking care to put some pillows under him.

"You should try and go, get away" John said softly

"I won't leave you here, and besides we're in the middle of nowhere, where would I go?" Willa replied as she tidied up the room.

"You know how to fly a helicopter." John said referring to the method of transport that was used to bring the quartet to the secluded Manor house.

"I'd need a co-pilot" Willa smiled as she packed up her things.

"NO leave me and go back to your family" John said

"If I left you here do you think I would ever be able to look Sherlock or Alice in the eyes again?" John said nothing "I stay until we both can leave"

Willa took her things and headed back to her room. It was nearing 9pm, Moriarty would be by soon.

The first night in the manor house she didn't know what to expect when Moriarty said he would come visit. That she was to get ready, and be in the clothes he left.

She had showered and changed into the nightgown that had been left. She laid in bed wondering what he had planned for her, when he entered he was in pajamas reminiscent of the ones the Banana's wore in Banana's in Pajama's wore. He had a large book with him. A collection of children's stories, there was one for every day of the year. He had curled up in bed with her, his head near her stomach and would read it one story, and then he would sing. For such an evil, evil man he had a voice like an angel, Willa had to remind herself that even Lucifer was an angel.

Willa carefully stepped into the shower and let the water run over her, the warm water did a bit to help her sore body, she didn't know if it was the pain or the heat of the water but Willa became dizzy, She gripped at the shower door, the world spun and went black.

Sherlock held Stevie close as she took the spoon from the vanilla custard and raised it to his mouth. Stevie had become his littlest nurse. Since she still couldn't cuddle with Greg who had still not regained consciousness, she spent a lot of time cuddled up next to Sherlock. Sometimes a little hand would find a bruise or brush against his ribs but for the most part she sat quietly and listened as he told her Paddington bear stories, when the nurses came she would watch what they were doing intently and even try to help. She had a pretty good technique for taking his pulse, now once they taught her to count she'd be able to do it well.

Now she was doing her other favorite activity, feeding Sherlock. The nurses would bring in the tray and leave it on the table. Sherlock would let Stevie pick at it and eat what she wanted but Anthea scolded him telling him he needed to eat. That is when Anthea showed Stevie how to spoon feed him jello and custard. Stevie thought it was the best thing ever, Even if she was sitting by Greg if she saw the tray being brought in she had to be there to feed Sherlock.

"You are going to have to feed your daddy when he wakes up, you are quite good at this" Sherlock said with a small smile.

Stevie just giggled and stole a spoonful for herself.

Sherlock looked up as Mycroft entered the room with two other men.

"Did you find them?" Sherlock asked

"Yes, they are in Ireland" Mycroft replied as the men set out some equipment next to Sherlock.

"Then why are you here!?" Sherlock demanded. His raised voice caused Stevie to whimper and hide her face in her hands "Oh I am sorry my sweets, I did not mean to scare you" Sherlock said holding her the best he could with his IV arm. She sniffled and curled into him as Mycroft answered

"We are having a little trouble getting permission to run our operation there and the last thing we need is for one of our aircraft to get shot out of the air" Mycroft said glancing over at Greg. "These monitors will let you watch the operation. Everyone is in place and once we get word we will start."

Sherlock nodded

"Will Anthea be going with you" Sherlock asked

"Yes"

"Bring Mrs. Hudson here, she can take Stevie for a walk or dinner in the cafeteria, she shouldn't be here and see all of this" Sherlock said pointing to the monitors.

Mycroft nodded and sent a text to someone to pick up Mrs. Hudson

"So you found your mole?" Sherlock asked

"Yes, He was one of our surveillance monitors, had nearly full access to everything. Its' why we didn't think the locations of John and Willa and Greg were correct, when you saw past his ruse that's when he shut us down so we couldn't follow you." Mycroft said sitting by the bed, Stevie just stared up at him "He has been moved to a facility to help with his recovery"

Stevie moved and started to stand on the bed using Mycroft's shoulder as a steadier. Her other hand came up and patted the small wisp of hair that was still left on just above his forehead. She giggled and twirled it in her fingers making it stand up on end.

"Una-corn" Stevie proudly exclaimed with a giggle.

Sherlock smirked as Mycroft gave one of his tight lipped smiles but Sherlock could see he happiness in his eyes. Stevie had the ice man wrapped around her little finger. Well that was like Sherlock the pot calling the kettle black. Just as he would do anything for his daughter Alice he would move worlds for his little niece.

"How soon are you expecting a call?" Sherlock asked as Stevie settled on Mycroft's lap, she tried to feed him some jello. "No sweetie Uncle Diet prefers cake"

"Very funny Sherlock" Mycroft said turning on the monitor. "We are expecting a call any minute"

Sherlock nodded as Mrs. Hudson entered with Alice. She laid Alice beside Sherlock.

Stevie leaned on the bed and studied the new little one in her midst.

"Baby" she said pointing to Alice.

"Yes this is your cousin Alice" Sherlock smiled

"Rabbit!" Stevie excitedly said. The adults were confused at first then Mrs. Hudson smiled

"Yes, like Alice in Wonderland with the White Rabbit" She said picking up Stevie "Hello my dear, I'm Mrs. Hudson"

"That is your Nana Hudson" Sherlock smiled, John and He had been raising Alice to know their landlady as a second grandmother, Sherlock was sure Willa and Greg wouldn't mind Stevie doing the same.

Mrs. Hudson smiled as Stevie cuddled in calling her Nana.

"I should be off and in place" Mycroft said standing "I trust you will stay awake long enough to follow on the monitor. The radio will also transmit our calls."

Sherlock nodded and he smiled down at Alice.

"We are going to get your daddy home my love" He smiled as Mycroft left.

"I play rabbit?" Stevie said pointing to Alice

"She's a little too small still sweetie, why don't we go to the play room" Mrs. Hudson said standing as calls stared coming over the radio to get in place. Mycroft was on a call with the president of the Republic of Ireland.

Stevie shook her head and reached for Greg and Sherlock as Mrs. Hudson left.

"No da, Slock an rabbit" She cried

"It's ok sweetie" Sherlock said, "Go play"

Stevie sniffled and nodded as Mrs. Hudson took her to the play room. Sherlock turned to the monitors, the helicopters had just taken off, it would take them an hour and a half to get there, but Mycroft already had a team on the ground that was heading the Manor they were being kept at.

John lay on the bed, his body still ached. He had been roused earlier by Moran. Moriarty had gone to do his nightly reading to Willa's growing bump when he found her unconscious in the shower.

John had been dragged to Willa's room to attend to her, she had just started coming too when he arrived, it appeared she had become over heated in the shower and that led to her fainting. The shower stall was not very wide so she didn't fall to far rather just against the door then sort of slid to the ground.

When he entered the room Moriarty was on the bed holding Willa who he had wrapped in a duvet.

John checked her over and she was unharmed, a few bruises would form on her arm that hit the door and she said her back was sore, twisted it John assessed.

Moriarty had Moran help him get Willa into her nightdress and was cuddling in bed beside her as John was led back to his room. Moran had a few rounds with John after her was chained back to bed. No sex, just a lot of manhandling, John was sure he'd broken a rib when Moran kneeled on him to reach for a cigarette to burn John's chest..

The burns were still hurting when Moran flipped him onto his stomach and started a very aggressive massage; John had to bite down hard on his lip to keep from crying out as something popped in his back.

Moran finished and left leaving John to catch his breath and to take stock of his injuries, along with his chest and back, his shoulder was aching; it did not like all the twisting and turning it had been doing. For and his hand, for the first time in what seemed like forever it was shaking, not badly but enough for him to notice that small intermittent tremor.

The wind outside picked up. As the sky got brighter, it couldn't be daylight though.

There was yelling, and gunfire.

John normally would be alarmed and up dashing to look or take cover, but his body would not cooperate. Not that he would get far; Moran had left the shackle on his one leg.

He opened on eye and stared at the door. There was more yelling, more gunfire, and screams.

His exhausted body didn't even flinch at the first bang on his door.

"Doctor Watson, are you in there?" A familiar voice asked.

John tried to respond but all that left his lips was a soft moan.

"Break down this door now!" the voice said again.

A few more bangs and the door was forced open, the men flanked in and stood beside the door as two more men entered, one looked out of place, the protection vest and helmet worn over his well-tailored and very expensive pinstripe suit.

Mycroft surveyed the room and John and the second man knelt by John, John saw the patch on his uniform, medic, one of the men who had broken down the door retrieved the key from the wall and undid John's leg.

"I need a stretcher" The medic announced, "I can't carry him out like planned, He's got a back injury and I'm worried about damage to his spinal cord."

Mycroft nodded and allowed for the additional medical support to be brought in.

"Willa?" John managed to mumble out.

"She's already being airlifted home" Mycroft said as the new medics entered and started preparing John for transport.

"Moriarty, Moran?" He asked weakly

"Moran is dead" Mycroft said, John gave a tiny smile and passed out before Mycroft could finish.

While they were confident that Moriarty was injured He had escaped, but the team was on it looking for him.

John was placed on the backboard and onto the stretcher; they carried him to the helicopter for the ride back to England.

Mycroft walked down the hall towards the main door. He stopped and looked down at the blond man bleeding and moaning in the hall.

He knelt down beside him.

Mycroft sighed

"Such a waste, you were such a good operative, but you threw that all away." Mycroft said wiping the blood off his hands onto Moran's shoulder. "And to think I wanted you as a brother in law once. Well Willa has found better."

Mycroft stood and took his gun from his holster.

"There is no need for you to suffer."

With that Mycroft put the bullet in Sebastian Moran's head.

Yes someone could argue that there was information to get from Moran, but really, the man was bleeding out, and contrary to popular belief Mycroft understood love, and He knew Moran would never turn on Moriarty.

Plus with Moran now dead, Moriarty wouldn't stay hidden for long.

Sherlock watched as Willa was wheeled into the hospital room. She was pale and shaking. She had a sling on her one arm and her ankle was wrapped.

Anthea helped her in to a recliner that had been moved between Sherlock and Greg's bed, closer to Greg's though. Anthea made sure that the pillow was behind her back and her legs were elevated

Stevie came tearing into the room followed by Mrs. Hudson.

"Momma!" She yelled as she started to climb up on the recliner.

"Hi my little bug" Willa smiled as Anthea helped the little one up.

"I miss you" She said

"I missed you too." Willa said kissing the top of Stevie's head.

The little one cuddled in and yawned.

Willa started to hum and soon the little one was sleeping. Willa looked over at Sherlock.

"I'm sorry I tried to take care of John. I didn't know Moran went back in after" She said tears forming.

"It is not your fault" Sherlock said.

The men had worn body cameras, that is how Sherlock had a video feed, He saw them burst into the room, and he saw John laying there. A doctor had come to talk to Sherlock, John was in Operating theatre, and they could fix the damaged vertebrae without causing any spinal cord trauma. John would be in the theatre for a few hours as it was a delicate procedure.

"I had some power, I should have told Moriarty to keep Moran away from John" Willa said though her tears. "He's the one who liked to hurt John. Moriarty did too but he was gentler."

"Please do not blame yourself Willa" Sherlock said as Mycroft entered the room.

"You will be pleased to know that Moriarty has left the country" Mycroft said sitting by Willa

"He's not dead?!" Willa said with alarm

"No I'm sorry he got away but we know where he is going and we can capture him and he will be put in the deepest darkest jail we can find." Mycroft gave a curt smiled

"Where is he going?" Sherlock asked as Willa returned her attending to Stevie and Greg.

"Santorini, Greece" Mycroft replied

Willa stiffened

"He's going to see her" She said holding the sleeping Stevie closer.

"Who?" Mycroft and Sherlock asked at the same time

"Irene" Willa said shaking "She's the one who taught Moriarty all his bedroom tricks. And well he taught her a few too; only man who ever got her to say her safe word."

"I, Irene.. Adler?" Sherlock quietly asked

"Yes she owns a luxury hotel in Santorini that caters to a certain select clientele" Willa said. "I was taken there twice and once she made a visit up to France to show me some techniques"

Sherlock glanced and Mycroft who was angrily starring at Sherlock.

"Oh you mean she wasn't executed in Karachi?" Sherlock said not meeting Mycroft's glare.

"What?" Willa asked confused "I never knew she was in Karachi, I just know she had to leave England because someone compromised her business"

"Yes, Someone did" Mycroft said coldly "You couldn't leave it alone could you Sherlock, she used you again. And we will all suffer for it"

"I couldn't let you kill her, she was being used as well" Sherlock replied

"She was playing us and you let her" Mycroft said raising his voice, Stevie whimpered in her sleep.

"Keep your voice down Mycroft the little one has been through enough and I did just get Alice asleep before you all came" Sherlock said looking down at his little one.

"I can't believe you interfered with this" Mycroft said volume lower but voice still dripping with anger.

"She didn't deserve to die" Sherlock said.

"Well now she just still works for the man who has tried to kill all of us multiple times." Mycroft said standing. He turned to Willa "I will return to see you in the morning my dear sister." He said before kissing the top of her head then leaving.

Willa looked at the floor

"I'm sorry Sherlock, I didn't mean to" She cried

"No, no, no Willa this is not your fault, the truth about me saving Irene was bound to come out eventually." Sherlock said. He wished he could stand and hug his sister, but being tied to the ceiling did not help things.

Willa let Anthea take Stevie and lay her next to Greg, Willa curled up the best she could in the chair, facing away from Sherlock.

Sherlock sighed and returned to staring at the door.

When John was brought into the room, he was still asleep. He was in a back brace and in a reclining position, Left shoulder was in a sling and he was covered in bandages.

"I wish to be closer" Sherlock said

"We can't move you, but we can move him a little closer." The nurse said as the bed was put near Sherlock. It was on his uncasted side. "It you promise not to jar your IVs you can reach out and hold his hand"

"I would like that" Sherlock said the nurse helped him hold John's hand

John's fingers curled around Sherlock's, Sherlock smiled. "It's ok John you're safe now."

Greg's eyes blinked open, his mouth was dry and his throat felt raw. The room was bright, hospital; he carefully turned his head to see Willa curled up in the chair holding his hand. her other arm was wrapped around a little girl who was sleeping on her lap.

"Hi" Greg croaked out, Willa looked up and smiled

"Hi" She said kissing him before carefully moving the little girl and getting him water.

"Thanks" Greg said after a few sips

"I hit the call button, the nurse can bring you something for your throat, you only got the tube out this morning" Willa said adjusting the child again. The little ones eyes opened she looked up and met Greg's gaze

"Daddy!" She exclaimed with a giant smile.

"Hello Stevie" He smiled "Your mom has told me a lot about you little bug"

Stevie smiled again as Willa helped her onto the bed.

"Careful Daddy still has a sore stomach" Willa said, the little one nodded and carefully curled beside Greg.

"You got her back" He said with awe

"We got her" Willa said kissing him again

"How's the other one?" Greg's eyes said looking down on Willa's growing bump

"He's holding his own, he's a tough little one" Willa smiled

"He?" Greg asked with a smiled

"Haven't had that scan yet, but I have a feeling" Willa smiled.

Greg smiled and looked beyond Willa.

Sherlock was holding John's hand, they were both sleeping. Mrs. Hudson was next to them feeding Alice.

"Hello, Gregory, it's nice to have you back." Mrs. Hudson smiled

"How long was I out for?" Greg asked with a wince.

"Three weeks, I've only been here a week and a half." Willa said

"Moriarty and Moran took you" Greg said as a nurse entered.

"And Mycroft and Anthea got me back" Willa said kissing his cheek and looking up at the nurse "His throat is raw can he have a lozenge or some tea with honey?"

"I can bring both" The nurse smiled and going.

"Am I allowed to eat?" Greg asked

"Doctor said something about soup" Willa said as she moved Stevie's hand away from Greg's side "We'll see what he says when he comes"

Greg nodded and looked back over at Sherlock and John

"Are they alright?" he asked

"They will be." Willa said as she explained their injuries.

"ouch" Greg said when Willa mentioned John's back.

"He's got a long recovery and a lot of physiotherapy ahead of him" Willa said

"You had a back injury before" Greg said he voice sounding optimistic "He'll be back to his old self no problem"

Willa smiled

"Yes, yes he will" She said as the doctor entered.


	5. Chapter 5

Sherlock winced as his calf touched the pillow. The muscles in his upper leg still did not like all of this new range of motion they were allowed. John smiled as he carefully eased himself into his chair across from Sherlock.

Anthea carefully lifted his legs and placed them on the same pillow on the oversized ottoman between the two men.

"Thank you" John said as Sherlock leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes.

"Alice is in her crib, Willa took the monitor upstairs with her and Greg. If Alice wakes Willa will come down to help. She's just getting Greg settled upstairs, then I believe she is going to get dinner ready." Anthea said as she placed a pillow under Sherlock's still casted arm, then another just behind John's shoulder.

"She doesn't have to, we can order in" John said "She needs her rest as much as we do."

"She insists on it, she had one of Mycroft's men go grocery shopping so everything would be here when you all got home" Anthea smiled standing "there all set. Mrs. Hudson is downstairs as well and said do not hesitate to call her if you need ANYTHING ok"

John nodded Sherlock just nodded eyes still closed.

Anthea gathered her things and left.

"We should plan our wedding" Sherlock smiled still not opening his eyes

"So you still want to marry me after all that's happened?" John asked. He was still raw from all Moran and Moriarty had done to him and he hadn't really let Sherlock get too close to him. In fact he was still having nightmares these three weeks on.

"I asked for a reason and the reason still stands" Sherlock said opening his eyes and looking at John "You think I saved you all those years ago when you came here, and I may have, but you also in turn saved me. Mostly from myself, but you have also made me a better person."

John Blushed.

"So what kind of wedding would you like Sherlock" John asked

"Small. You, me, Alice, Willa, Greg, Stevie, Mum, Dad, Mycroft, Anthea, Molly and Mike" Sherlock replied "Harry and Clara can come also if you would like"

"I think Harry would come to this wedding" John smiled "Where would you like to get married"

Sherlock thought for a moment

"I'm not sure, perhaps just city hall" He said

"To impersonal those little 15 min slots they move you in and out like cattle" John said

Sherlock smiled

"What about Buckingham Palace, I promise I will dress in more than a sheet this time" Sherlock smiled again

"Are you welcome back there after swiping that ashtray?" John chuckled.

"Some people get married in the place where they first met." Sherlock mused

"We are not getting married in the morgue at St. Bart's" John said adamantly. Sherlock chuckled "What about the museum?" John asked

"Hmm getting married in front of Mummies… Yes" Sherlock smiled. "I will call and book it as soon as possible"

John smiled as the door opened. Willa entered, she kissed each of their foreheads then headed to the kitchen.

"Greg is settled and should sleep for a while. Stevie is making cookies with Mrs. Hudson and Alice is napping." She said as she began to prep for dinner. "How are you too? Settling in alright?"

"Yes, Willa do you have any connections at the British Museum still" Sherlock asked sitting up a bit pausing only at the twinge in his leg

"A few. Why?"

"John and I would like to get married there, as soon as possible" Sherlock replied

Willa smiled

"I'll get the chicken on then I'll call Dr. O'Connell" Willa said retuning to the kitchen.

Sherlock leaned back in his chair again and closed his eyes. Shortly afterwards John heard the soft sounds of Sherlock sleeping.

John closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep himself.

John stood in front of Sherlock; they each had one hand holding the others and one holding them up, for John a cane for Sherlock a crutch.

Most people would wait till they were fully healed to have a service, but Sherlock and John couldn't wait, they had put it off for too long.

Willa was able to get a spot booked two weeks after they had decided on the venue. It gave John a chance to start more therapy so that we was actually able to stand and walk, and gave Sherlock's leg a little longer to heal.

Sherlock wore a soft charcoal suit, his purple shirt left open at the neck and a matching pocket square tucked in the pocket. John was in his dress uniform; he was glad to be wearing it for a happier reason then the last time.

The minute Sherlock saw John exit the staging area into the hall they were holding the ceremony in he didn't know if he could contain himself though the whole ceremony. At least after he could take John into the washroom at Angelo's and slowly take off that uniform piece by piece. Carefully of course, but John was allowed some light activities.

The Justice of the Peace stood in front of them, their small gathering of guests behind them.

"Do you William Sherlock Scott Holmes take John Hamish Watson to be your lawfully wedded Husband, to have and to hold from this day forward as long as you both shall live" The JP asked

"I do" Sherlock said with a smiled

"And do you John Hamish Watson take Willian Sherlock Scott Holmes to be your lawfully wedded Husband, to have and to hold from this day forward as long as you both shall live"

"I do, and the living better go one for a long, long time" John said with a grin the guests laughed.

"Obviously" Sherlock smiled.

Greg stepped forward with the rings. Marisol, Willa's best friend from high school was a jewelry designer and had stopped by to meet with each of the men in private. Each had designed the ring for the other. She encouraged each man to put a bit of himself into the ring as that was a bit of them would be with the other.

For Sherlock, John had chosen a platinum ring, solid on the edges in the middle there was a carved caduceus and a skull and the words The Blogger's Detective between the two designs.

For John Sherlock had chosen a platinum ring as well, 2 twist like braids on the on the edges in the middle was sort of a recessed engraving on a black pewter background there symbols carved magnifying glass and the crest of the 5th Northumberland fusiliers and the words the Detective's Blogger between the symbols.

They placed the rings on their fingers then joining their hands saying in unison

"This ring is our symbol that you are my lover and you are my best friend in all times, in all places, and in all ways, forever."

The JP smiled and said "Since you have consented to join together in the bond of matrimony, and have pledged yourselves to each other in the presence of these loving friends, I now pronounce you partners in marriage. You may now kiss."

John and Sherlock leaned in close and kissed each other hard and passionately.

"And now, to all the friends and family who have come to celebrate this union, I take great pleasure in presenting, for the first time anywhere, the united couple Doctor and Mr. Watson-Holmes" The JP said.

Everyone clapped as they helped each other down the make shift aisle Stevie excitedly helped Greg and Willa pull the cords on the confetti poppers showing the two in paper streamers and glitter.

Alice giggled and cooed as John took her from Mum as he settled back into his wheelchair. He still was not allowed to stand or walk too much and wanted to conserve strength for his first dance with Sherlock.

Harry smiled as she walked over "Congratulations little brother" She said hugging him.

"Thank you" John said as Alice reached up for Harry's hair. John moved the little one's hand "She's a hair puller" John smiled

Harry pushed John as Sherlock walked beside him to the reception area. John and Sherlock were forgoing traditional posed wedding photos in favor of just the candid ones their hired photographer was taking of the event.

They gathered in area 7 by the Assyrian statues made famous (to some) in the 1987 film Maurice. Willa sat at a piano they had brought in and Greg grabbed his guitar. They played a melody that John didn't recognize. He found out later Sherlock had written it for them, he wrote it for piano but Willa transcribed it for guitar too.

After they danced the small group headed to Angelo's where the man had set up a large table that everyone could sit around.

The group sat and ate and drank the night away. Stevie and Alice both fell asleep on chairs in the corner of the restaurant.

As the night wore on Sherlock looked over and John and just smiled.

For the first time in a long time he felt perfectly at ease and blissfully happy.


End file.
